Seaside Piers painted by Nina Carroll

Artist Nina Carroll’s fondness for piers linked her appreciation of Victorian ironwork with her love of the seaside, but it wasn’t until 1974 (when she lived in Kettering – as far away from the coast as you can get) that she decided to focus on creating a collection of paintings of piers. She had already painted and sold quite a few before then, but her focus was a response to hearing about their dilapidation and demise. She painted several in 1974 on day trips, and between 1975 and 1977 she made a concerted effort to paint as many as possible with dedicated pier painting expeditions; she continued after that with one or two more.

She painted fourteen piers in the 1970s that no longer survive today.  Storms at sea, fires, neglect and demolition all contributed to their loss. The family currently hold her collection - seven sketches and 114 paintings of piers; all of these have been donated to the National Pier Society. 

See below (or top navigation) for links to the paintings, or Click here to see a slide show of pier paintings; the image no. in Info relates to the list below.