At just 17 years old, Madi Collins is already proving that age is no barrier when talent, discipline, and encouragement come together. A junior at KONOS Academy, Madi has quietly built a growing art business—one that began not with a business plan, but with curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to try.
Madi has been painting for roughly four years and selling her work for the past two. Long before her first booth or first sale, her creative spark was obvious. As a child, she and her best friend, Hailey Bayer, could spend hours—sometimes entire summer days—building intricate LEGO creations. Her parents, Jeff and Lauren, recognized early on that Madi's creativity was wired deep; they just didn't know yet where it would lead.
A pivotal moment came when the Collins family volunteered with Lighthouse Family Retreats, a nonprofit serving families navigating childhood cancer. As part of the experience, Jeff and Lauren asked Madi and her sister, Mabry, to write donation request letters. After returning from the retreat, thank-you notes followed—but Madi added something extra: a painting.
That simple gesture changed everything. After receiving the "thank you painting" one family insisted on paying for another piece, with one condition—the money had to be reinvested into Madi's art. What began as a heartfelt thank-you became a realization: her creativity could both bless others and grow into something meaningful. Not long after, Madi told her parents she didn't want a traditional job. She wanted to sell her art.
Curious and eager to learn, Madi reached out to another local artist—not to sell, but simply to ask questions about watercolor paints. That curiosity led her to Alive After Five, where she shared her first booth. Since then, she has displayed and sold her work at Alive After Five and various other events throughout Fayette and Coweta County.
While the artwork draws people in, the journey behind the booth has been just as formative. Learning how to be a vendor—interacting with customers, explaining her pieces, pricing her work, managing sales, bookkeeping, and administrative tasks—has helped Madi grow in confidence and maturity.
Madi primarily works in watercolor, with acrylics and emerging textured pieces rounding out her portfolio. Each piece she sells is packaged with a Bible verse, reflecting the faith that anchors her work. She markets her work through Instagram and local events, and handles the business side herself.
Beyond art, Madi stays busy with volleyball and beach volleyball, is active in youth group at ONE Church, and already has her eyes on the future. Her long-term goal is to pursue interior design, with hopes of incorporating her artwork into future design projects.
Madi's advice to other young people is simple: don't give up. Practice matters. Repetition matters. Improvement opens doors you never expected.
In a community that celebrates creativity, opportunity, and connection, Madi Collins is a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful journeys begin with a willing heart, a blank canvas, and the courage to try.
To see more of Madi's work and get in contact with her, visit her Instagram: @paintingsbymadichristine