Photos by Brittany Brock Photography
I’m thrilled to introduce y’all to my incredibly talented friend Emma Collins! Emma is an artist based here on Amelia Island. I’m drawn to her coastal style and unique ability to capture our beautiful surroundings with so much life and color! Obviously she’s talented but she’s also hilarious, has a heart of gold, and is a fast friend to everyone she meets! I love her and I know you all will love her too after hearing her story! Emma is opening The Palette Shop here on Amelia Island next week so follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes fun!
Tell us a bit about you – where you find inspiration, how you fill your days and how you got your start as an artist!
I can’t think of a starting point for my art because it has always been such an intricate part of mine and my family’s lives. Creativity and artistic talent comes from both sides of my family tree. My father’s mother and father were both artists by trade and my mother’s sister is an established artist in North Georgia. My days after school were spent at my grandmother’s house painting, drawing, and observing her do the same. I would spend weeks visiting my aunt during the summers where she would let me assist her on job sites, painting murals and teaching me her own techniques. This engrained a love for the arts in me and jump started my creative passions.
After highschool, I applied this love for art by obtaining my cosmetology license and starting my own hair and makeup business for weddings and events, Emma Collins Beauty. All the while, I continued to paint. Emma
Collins Beauty grew immensely over the next 6 years and got recognized by many bridal magazines as a top hair and makeup artist in the South.
Cue Covid. The wedding and event industry came to a stop and we were all in lockdown not knowing when our next paycheck would come. With all my newfound time at home, I was able to channel my stress into painting. While sharing my paintings with family and friends, I was excited to see their reactions of support and encouragement. I started receiving commissions right off the bat and began selling my paintings in a local shop. The demand for my paintings continued and I started to realize my dream of having my own art studio could actually be possible.
Now, here we are today with my studio, The Palette Shop, opening on Amelia Island this week. Along with The Palette Shop, I own and work for Emma Collins Beauty. Doing hair and makeup and painting for my studio keep me very busy most days. If I have free time, you could probably find me playing with my nephews, hanging with my friends, or binging a new Netflix show.
I love the story behind The Palette Shop! Can you share a bit for readers?
In 1955 Cecil and Ruth Collins opened up an art shop in their small town of Waycross, GA. Ruth had grown up in Munich, Germany and met Cecil while he was stationed there with the U.S. military. The young American soldier and German artist fell in love, were married, and began their family and life together. They eventually settled in Waycross with their five children. It turned out that Ruth wasn’t the only one with the artistic talent; Cecil shared both her passion and skill. The couple decided to pursue their creative talents further by opening their own shop to sell art supplies, custom frames, and art lessons. They named their art store The Palette Shop. Fast forward to 2021 and you will find my art studio, The Palette Shop is an homage to my grandparents’ original shop.
What brought you to Amelia Island?
I grew up in a small town in South Georgia that is about an hour away from Amelia Island. My family loved the beach and we would go to Amelia more times than I can count. I always knew I wanted to live at the beach. When my sister had my oldest nephew, I moved from St. Simons to Amelia so I could be closer to them. I haven’t looked back! I love the laid-back lifestyle that comes with living at the beach and I love the familiarity that comes with living in the South.
Where do you find the most inspiration when painting?
I draw inspiration from other creatives! Honestly, nothing inspires more than putting on Broadway music when I paint. Obviously, if you look at my work, I am inspired by the natural beauty that the coast has to offer. Visiting new places and enjoying time outside provides tons of inspiration, too.
Any advice for new artists?
I feel like I struggled through the years trying to find my own unique style, but the more I just kept painting and stopped worrying about “finding me” in my art, I got there. So, the biggest advice I have for an artist is to just keep painting and don’t stress. You’ll get there. You’ll find yourself in your art. Oh, and don’t compare your art to anyone else’s!
Where can we find you and how do we follow along?!
Come visit me at The Palette Shop! (4924 1st Coast Hwy. Suite 3, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034) If I’m not there working on a piece of my own, I will be teaching classes and paint parties by appointment. You can also find me online @thepaletteshop_ai.
