Nina has a great affinity with animals having spent much of her childhood and teenage years on smallholdings and farms in Central Scotland and later in Caithness (North East Scotland).
In the Highlands of Scotland where she lived in a rural setting, she trained horses amongst other things and painted in any spare time. The wildlife around proved an inspiration for most of her subject matter. The Caithness Craft Association was an idea she came up with in order to empty her rapidly filling house and to support her three young children. Nina painted in oils during this period. Survival was the name of the game; and it worked. The light and the landscape were a constant source of delight. The climate provided a constant source of subject mater. Clients in the far North were avid collectors of this work.
Later a move to the South meant a complete change of scene for the family and lots of differing challenges. In the South East of England the landscape proved less of an inspiration. Working as an artist, she continued to focus on the painting of animals.
Nina undertook two degrees in rapid succession, if only to keep up with the children during this period. B.A honour1995 Canterbury and a P.G.C.E at Greenwich. This allowed her to teach watercolours and acrylics, oils, life drawing and drawing with Kent Adult Education for eight years, part-time whilst continuing to paint.
In 2006 Nina retired from teaching and is now looking to return to painting full time.
