Sea, Surf & Acrylic Paint

Capturing Cornwall’s coastline in paint is a centuries-old pursuit - and one artist is finding new ways to present such a familiar scene

Cornwall has proven to have irresistible aesthetic to more than one artist – and for Nina Brooke, the coastline and those who play in it have given the endless inspiration that has taken her around the world to some of the most stunning spots.

Based in her studio in Rock, Nina’s colorful, abstracted aerial beach scenes capture the essence and energy of sea and surf culture in Cornwall and beyond.

Her journey into the art world was pretty straight forward. “My family are all artists, so creativity was greatly encouraged at home,” she says. “My mother continuously enrolled me on different art courses and took me with her when she embarked on cultural tours through Cornwall and across Europe.”

At college, she achieved 100 per cent grade in her art A-Level and went on to take part in a group show in London at 18 and has been producing work ever since. She has exhibited alongside some of Britain’s greatest painters such as Lucian Freud and Howard Hodgkins. “I found the greatest sense of contentment when painting and so this encouraged me to stick at it,” she says.

Nina grew up between the rugged North Cornwall coast and the azure tropics of The Caribbean. From both sides of the Atlantic, the rolling swell and crystal-clear bays have played a vital role in her creative development.