All About Boat Cove Art by Nelly P.

Nelly's living by the sea and creating beautiful seaside art.

Nelly P. is an artist who lives by the sea near Boat Cove, Dawlish. Nelly loves to make art inspired by the coast and seaside of Devon, Cornwall and the southwest of England. 

Boat Cove, Dawlish, Devon by Nelly P.

Nelly's art draws inspiration from the coastal towns, seascapes and maritime history of Devon, Cornwall and the southwest of England. His fine art prints and seaside posters are modern and fresh, showing each place at its best and reminding us of tranquil times spent at the coast. 

 

 

 

 Budleigh, Devon by Nelly P.

Burgh Island, South Devon by Nelly P.

Nelly's favourite place is Boat Cove, a short walk from his home. It's where Nelly keeps 'Monique', his little Devon Crabber fishing boat, which he and his family sail in the sunny summer months.

 

"My beloved Devon is a constant source of inspiration for me. I love to SUP or take our boat 'Monique' along the coast, or tour our towns and villages and discover the beauty in the coastline, ancient harbours, boats and historic buildings."

 

 

Nelly is a multi-skilled artist, able to turn his hand to different mediums. He creates beautiful artworks with paint, pen and ink, and pencil, and also works with clay and other sculptural media. Nelly trained at Exeter School of Art and Design, where he learned fine art painting, life drawing, design and ceramic sculpture. 

 

Chinese-inspired Blue Koy ceramic sculpture by Nelly P. 

 

"Art school was a joy. It was the most creative environment I ever experienced. Studying with other artists and designers generated ripples of creativity that we all shared."

 

'Siren' by Nelly P. 

 

Boat Cove by Nelly P. was created during the 2020 Pandemic lockdowns when many of us discovered a new idealist notion of life drifting at an easier, slower pace. With more time on his hands, Nelly created Boat Cove, a home for his art and a place to share it with the world. 

These lockdowns highlighted to him how we all affect our natural environment and oceans. The skies were clear blue and silent as no planes were flying, leaving the sky clear of vapour trails and jet engine noise. The roads were empty and silent. The seas were calm and clear. 

 

 Boat Cove, Dawlish, photo by Nelly P.

 

 

It was this tranquillity that rejuvenated Nelly's passion for his art. 

 

"You can't help but be calmed by the gentle sound of the lapping ocean on the shore. It is an endless source of inspiration."

 

Once the lockdowns were over, he travelled the southwest of England drawing and painting new scenes. He created new artwork based on historical maritime tales, like the terrifying Kraken!

 

The Kraken by Nelly P.

 

Quiet fishing trips and beachcombing inspired new images of fish like the Atlantic Mackerel and illustrations of seashells and starfish.

 

Atlantic Mackerel by Nelly P. 

The pandemic's shortages of products, food and clothing also inspired Nelly to create his own sustainable clothing designs for his family. He used his creative artwork to create Boat Cove clothing that was the highest quality he could find with the best sustainability and ethical production he could source. His aim was to make beautiful designs that were perfect for wearing at the beach or boating and would also last as long as possible. His principle was to 'buy better and discard less', supporting the slow fashion movement that aims to reduce the impact of clothing on our planet's precious resources. 

 

Soon, his friends asked to buy his sustainable clothing, and this is why you can now buy Boat Cove clothing here in the shop. They're made of the highest-quality, organic and recycled materials and are fair trade, ethically made. 

Nelly is also a writer, he loves to read and learn all about the oceans. Maritime history inspires much of his work, from sailor's tales of sea monsters and sirens to the classic beauty of hand-crafted boats. 

 

"I love to write about what I learn and love to share it. After all, sharing knowledge is what being human is all about."

  

Nelly also recycles and reuses everything he can. Even Nelly's boat 'Monique' has been repaired with timber and fixings that have been passed down from his father or recovered from waste products.

 

"I'm a born maker. I love to make, fix and recycle things, which means I'm also a total hoarder. I collect and keep all sorts of odd things which I know, at some point, will come in useful, and they always do!"

 

 

 

 Nelly's boat 'Monique'

Nelly's style of art came about over years of sketching while travelling around the South West of England and other countries. 

 

Coryton Cove by Nelly P.

Nelly P. is short for Neil Parker, the nickname his friends gave him at school. Married and with two grown-up boys, Ozzie, a professional musician, and Theo, an environmental scientist, and Arthur, their black and white rescued cat. Nelly feels incredibly fortunate to have been born in his beloved Devon and blessed to live within walking distance of the beach, living by the sea and doing seaside things…