Celebrating Wilson’s Tales with brand new exhibition of work
Berwick-based illustrator and designer Ali Edwards work is inspired by the landscapes and history of a place, creating unique, hand-drawn maps and illustrations.
After 15+ years working in marketing, Ali made the decision to change career and established Coostie Illustration & Design in 2023.
“My creative practice is still very much evolving, as I balance the desire to develop as an artist with the need to make a living. I sell a small range of products retail and wholesale, as well as working on commissions for bespoke illustration projects for companies, organisations and private individuals. In the next 12 months I would like to have developed my portfolio to a point where I can proactively pitch for new work.”
“Thanks to funding from Create Berwick in 2024, I was able to further diversify my income by developing and running creative workshops in and around Berwick-upon-Tweed, to help people to connect to nature through sketching. I’ve found that I really enjoy teaching and so it made sense that offering workshops to share my knowledge and experience would be an integral part of this project, too.”
In 2025 Ali applied to the Creative Action Fund with a project that celebrated Wilson’s Tales of the Borders.
About Wilson’s Tales
John Mackay Wilson was editor of the Berwick Advertiser and author of ‘Tales of the Borders’. On the 8 October 1834 the newspaper contained two stories “The Vacant Chair”, concerning Peter Elliot, a farmer whose farmhouse straddled the Border, and “Tibby Fowler” a tale of wealth, despair and love winning through to save the day. They started the flow of “Wilson’s Tales of the Borders, and of Scotland. Historical, Traditionary and Imaginative” that eventually ran to nearly 500 tales, provided by over 20 contributors.
The Wilson’s Tales Project is a local charity that aims to raise awareness of these heritage Tales, their historic provenance and content, and their connection to Berwick. They work with a range of creatives to respond to, and re-tell the Tales in a contemporary way for today’s audiences. This has included live performances by storytellers, musicians signing original ballads and stage and radio play adaptations of the Tales in historic venues.
Talking to the Wilson’s Tales Project group inspired Ali to develop an ambitious and interconnected piece of work, that would support the development of her creative practice, alongside the aims of the Wilson’s Tales Project charity to raise awareness of Wilson’s Tales of the Borders.
Celebrating Wilson’s Tales of Berwick and the Borders through illustration has three outputs:
Creating an illustrated map and self-guided trail
Ali worked with the Wilson’s Tales Project to illustrate a self-guided walking trail that will take people around the town to key sites including Wilson’s house, the Berwick Advertiser building and his funerary monument in Tweedmouth.
The free, self-guided trail is now available to pick up from the Library, the Visitor Centre and other outlets in Berwick, as well as to download from the Wilson’s Tales website . A digital version of the trail is currently being worked on and should be launching in late Spring and will feature a range of recordings that people can download/listen to as they walk the route.
Series of creative workshops
In partnership with Berwick Library, Ali has delivered a series of free illustration workshops for families, adults and carers, inspired by The Adventures of Launcelot Errington and his Nephew Mark.
Based on real events, first published in 1835, the groups explored the dramatic local story filled with familiar landscapes, striking characters, and lots of adventure. They then learnt how to develop a character, plan a composition, and create a finished illustration inspired by the tale, using a mixture of materials including pen and watercolours.
“I learned something new about local history and I enjoyed it all. This is something we need in Berwick to help people who do full time caring and it has definitely helped me today”
“[I most enjoyed] pushing myself to produce a picture from imagination – I was pleased with my efforts”
“[The workshop helped me to learn about] Facial proportions and the relationship of characters to each other. Using magazines to help with references for facial expression”
“[The workshop] gave me a sense of achievement and restored my self confidence in regard to making art”
A public exhibition
The artworks created by participants in the community workshops will become part of a special temporary exhibition in Berwick Library, celebrating Wilson’s Tales of the Borders alongside a set of brand-new illustrations by Ali and items donated from the Wilson’s Tales Project.
The exhibition opened on Saturday 28 March and runs until Saturday 25 April 2026
Berwick Library
Walkergate Building
Walkergate
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 1BD
The library is open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm and Saturday 10am – 5pm.
Create Berwick is a culture-led regeneration programme that aims to make Berwick one of the most distinctive, must-see cultural destinations in the country by investing in the arts, creativity and culture. Create Berwick is a designated Culture and Creative Zone (CCZ) and funded by the North East Combined Authority and Northumberland County Council.
