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Nina Squire
With her early life spent on the coast of Devon, Nina Squire, has always been drawn to the sea and the rugged coastline that surrounds her. She seeks to capture the changing moods of the sea, from the calm, serene blues of a summer’s day to the stormy, tumultuous greys of a winter’s evening.
Initially, it was a love of sketching that inspired her to follow a career in illustration. After completing her degree at Falmouth University, she went on to specialise in soft pastel painting, drawn to the medium’s ability to capture the colours and textures with precision and sensitivity. She works mainly to commission, her clients are loyal and many of her customers have come back during her 20 year career for commissions as gifts and keep sakes of treasured views.
Inspired by the work of Degas, Nina’s way of working embraces using wetted pastels alongside dry media to create vibrant and textural pastel paintings. She spends hours studying the light and shadow of the coastline, capturing the subtle nuances of the waves and the way they interact with the rocks and the sand.
Her paintings are highly sought after by collectors and art lovers around the world. Nina now lives in Dorset where she teaches workshops and courses in soft pastel painting, sharing her passion for the sea and the beauty of the coastline with others
When she’s not painting or teaching, Nina can be found with a flask of tea; walking, swimming or kayaking along the coast, gathering inspiration for her next artworks. She believes that the sea has a transformative power, her paintings capture not only the beauty of the coastline, but also the emotions and experiences that come with being by the sea.
artwork and photo credit © Nina Squire 2023
What our students say
I absolutely loved this course, I have learnt so much. I feel that I will be more free in my work, not worried about doing things wrong – that pastels can be worked back into – this course has left my mind buzzing with ideas and inspiration. Nina is a lovely tutor, informative, knowledgeable and fun, it was like spending time with a friend.
Seascapes are totally out of my comfort zone!! I usually paint animals, so I really appreciate Nina’s encouraging presentation which gives me confidence to try a subject matter I love but have always been scared of.
Courses with Nina Squire
Pastel Painting - Seascapes (rec)
Online Pre-recorded - Pastel - Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz000005uacQ
Active Instance: a02Nz000001sWAQIA2, 01-Sep-2026
In this two-part webinar series, Dorset based artist, Nina Squire, shows you different ways of working with soft pastels to create painterly dynamic seascapes.
| £55 | Book |
Porthmeor Seascapes
Art Courses - Pastel - Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz000001u8aE
Active Instance: a02Nz000009BjflIAC, 10-Mar-2025
Drawing inspiration from the awe-inspiring St Ives coastline, dive into pastel painting and discover unique techniques that are possible when painting with soft pastels.
Porthmeor Seascapes
Art Courses - Pastel - Seascapes
Active sort order:
Course ID: a00Nz000001u8aE
Active Instance: a02Nz000009BtdVIAS, 12-Sep-2025
Drawing inspiration from the awe-inspiring St Ives coastline, dive into pastel painting and discover unique techniques that are possible when painting with soft pastels.