When Nidiana Allen moved from Florida to Rhode Island three years ago, she didn’t expect the Ocean State to inspire an entirely new chapter in her life.

Drawn to the state’s rocky coastline, historic lighthouses and close-knit communities, Allen transformed those experiences into “Penelope’s Coastal Adventure,” her first children’s book, and a growing watercolor collection celebrating Rhode Island’s lighthouses — a project recently awarded a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA).

“I think the most important part for me is that you can find magic everywhere you go,” Allen said. “It took me almost three years here, and now I feel really, really comfortable. If you look patiently, there is always a special place for you.”

Allen, a Barrington resident, is the founder of Blue Pineapple, a creative business celebrating Rhode Island’s coastal beauty through watercolor artwork, greeting cards, bookmarks and now a children’s book.

“Blue Pineapple is my heart,” she said. “It’s the way I express myself through my paintings, and it’s the way I use my creativity to connect with the community.”

Although Allen has worked as a graphic designer for nearly 30 years, watercolor painting has become the creative outlet that allows her to express herself beyond client work.

Inspired by an artist she saw painting on a beach, Allen rediscovered watercolor. The medium quickly became her favorite way to capture the coastal scenery that had captivated her after moving to Rhode Island.

“Every artist has a different style,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s just the way you put things on paper, and that becomes your style. It’s unique to you.”

Allen first began selling watercolor greeting cards at farmers markets and artisan shows before deciding to create something more permanent.

“The illustration has a purpose,” she said. “People buy the card, they write in it, and eventually it goes away. But the book — you don’t throw away the book.”

Eventually, she wrote, illustrated, designed and self-published “Penelope’s Coastal Adventure.” She completed every watercolor illustration herself before laying out the book in Adobe InDesign and worked closely with an overseas printer, reviewing digital proofs to ensure every detail was exactly as she envisioned.

Her favorite character is Oliver, an octopus whose differences become his greatest strength.

“He looks different, and that is his superpower,” Allen said. “From my perspective, he’s my inner voice telling me, ‘Why don’t you think you can do it? You’re already doing it.’ ”

While the book reflects Allen’s own journey of finding a home in New England, Rhode Island’s lighthouses soon became her next artistic focus.

The idea began during a family visit to Block Island, where she was struck by the beauty of the island’s lighthouse overlooking the bluffs.

“You don’t see that in Miami,” she said. “When I got home, I thought, ‘I want to try to paint it.’ ”

She shared a video of the painting process on social media, and the response surprised her.

“Everybody was like, ‘This is amazing. You should do this,’ ” she said.

That first lighthouse painting remains especially meaningful.

“It was the one that started it all,” Allen said. “It proved to me that I was capable of doing it. I thought, ‘If I can do this one, I can do all of them.’  ”

Lighthouses in art

Allen has completed 11 Rhode Island lighthouse paintings and plans to create artwork featuring every lighthouse in the state. Rather than producing exact architectural renderings, she paints each one through her own whimsical artistic style.

“I wanted to follow the same style,” she said. “It’s how my eyes see the lighthouses.”

At farmers markets and artisan fairs, the paintings have become conversation starters.

“Every lighthouse is a topic of conversation,” Allen said. “Everybody is connected to one lighthouse. ‘I got married here.’ ’I met my friend there.’ ’We went there to take pictures.’ There is always something about the lighthouses.”

Those conversations have shown Allen how deeply the landmarks are woven into Rhode Island’s identity and have often inspired which lighthouse she paints next.

Earlier this year, Allen applied for a RISCA grant to help continue the ambitious project. Several months later, she learned she had received funding to complete the Rhode Island lighthouse collection.

She plans to eventually publish the paintings in a coffee-table book celebrating the state’s maritime heritage. In addition to the existing lighthouses, she plans to include a section highlighting Rhode Island’s six lost lighthouses — structures that were demolished or destroyed over time.

“After you see all these beautiful paintings, then you get to that part where they used to be,” Allen said. “You keep them alive.”

Allen also hopes to work with local historical societies to research the lost lighthouses before eventually exhibiting the completed collection.

The book is available at Barrington Books, Ink Fish Books, Heritage Lane, Paper Packaging & Panache in Bristol, and Charter Books in Newport. Allen’s watercolor greeting cards are also available at Coffee Depot in Warren and Fenwick & Oliver in Bristol.

Balancing the project with a full-time career and family life requires early mornings and dedicated weekends. Allen credits her husband with making much of it possible by taking on many of the household responsibilities.

Allen regularly showcases her lighthouse watercolor collection at farmers markets and artisan fairs, including the Tiverton Farmers Market, Mount Hope Farmers Market in Bristol and Casey Farm Farmers Market in Saunderstown. She is also scheduled to participate in the Barrington Arts Festival on Sept. 27.

Although she has recently begun painting Massachusetts lighthouses, Allen plans to keep Rhode Island at the heart of Blue Pineapple.

“This is home right now,” she said. “Blue Pineapple was born here, so it is always going to be super special. I want to see where Blue Pineapple goes. I want to see if it grows.”

More information about Allen’s work is available on Instagram at @BluePineapple_DesignStudio.