The area around Town Pier has been given a makeover and now displays the beautiful works of Gravesend artist Gerald Vaughan.

Gerry, who died in 2012, was in love with the pier and the river, having grown up with his grandparents in Pier Road.

He was born in Gravesend in 1934 and studied at Gravesend School of Art and the Royal College of Art.

When he fell ill with cancer, the painter turned teacher and lecturer was forced to take early retirement, something wife Marian, describes as a blessing in disguise as it allowed Gerry the time to revisit his enthusiasm for painting.

Hoardings near the pier have now been painted bright blue and turned into an outdoor gallery of Gerry’s vibrant artwork as part of a council-funded sustainable transformation scheme.

Marian, 81, unveiled the new hoarding with Mayor Greta Goatley and said: “Gerry loved the pier and the ferry boats; he had happy memories of the winter nights there.

“The river was always very close and familiar to him. He didn’t have the easiest of childhoods, or education.

“He was dyslexic but his artistic talent and interest in the world of art, design and town planning was very clear.”

The couple moved to Derbyshire and it wasn’t until returning to Gravesend to visit family in 1964 that they found the Town Pier in a state of near dereliction. Gravesham council had asked people for records of the landmark and Gerry donated a vast folio of sketches, photographs and paintings, some of which were pertinent to its actual reconstruction.

“This pass is now bright, safe and interesting"- Mayor Greta Goatley

Marian thanked the council for its continued invested interest in Gerry’s work and said: “Over 50 years later, I didn’t think his youngest grandchild Ross would be able to be here and see his work.”

Four generations of the family joined the celebration; Gerry’s grandson was the youngest aged 12 and the oldest was Gerry’s aunt, Violet Bartholomew, 99.

Mrs Bartholomew said: “The pictures are beautiful. Gerry used to phone me and tell me about where he had been on his travels and what he had painted.”

Cllr Goatley joined the Vaughan family in cutting the ribbon on the new walkway.

She said: “This route used to be very narrow, dark and down at heel and could be off-putting to pedestrians. In order to make this journey pleasant and safer, we have installed this hoarding around the vacant site and on the hoarding are paintings and photographs by Gerald Vaughan.