Ke’Shawn Collins’ journey into the world of art began at the age of 11.
Inspired by his desire to compete with his talented uncle and brother, Collins initially viewed art as a fun rivalry. But as he grew older, so did his skills. He didn’t fully realize his talent until someone else recognized his worth.
“A guy was like, ‘What you want to sell it for?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know, probably 30 dollars,’” Collins recalled. “And he was like, ‘No, it’s worth more, like 100 dollars.’”
That moment sparked something in Collins, leading him to launch his own business, Key's Fine Art. One of his first major projects was painting a daycare, Little Dreamers Daycare and Learning Center, in Ville Platte. Soon after, he was invited to teach art in St. Landry Parish school systems, a role he embraced as an opportunity to inspire youth.
“They see a lot of violence and crazy stuff on the internet,” Collins said. “When we have good stuff in the community, I want to be the guy that teaches them something other than negativity.”
Collins’ business stands out with its distinctive three-dimensional style. Beyond creating, he’s passionate about guiding others toward their own success.
“Your dream is too big for where you’re at. But it’s not because I still want to reach out to other people and show them we can work together toward our dream,” Collins said.
