Meet Maxine Billings of Nature’s Finest by Maxine Billings in West Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maxine Billings.

Maxine, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Several years before my retirement from State Government in November, 2013, I started taking nature pictures in my yard, during my walks in the park, and on trips to the Great Smoky Mountains with my husband.

When I retired, I continued adding to my collection and finally decided to share my photography with the world. I opened my online nature art gallery on November 17, 2015. Initially, it included only photos from my nature adventures of which the public could order copies and wall decor. It now includes four online stores that contain various types of products with my images printed on them.

Links to all of my stores can be found on my main Web site at www.naturegiftstore.net

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, the road has certainly not been smooth. Because there are so many people selling art online, the competition is fierce. However, I am determined to not give up.

Please tell us about Nature’s Finest by Maxine Billings.
I specialize in fine art photography that is inspired by natural creation. So far, my proudest accomplishment is my clothing and home accessory lines that I design for an e-commerce company called VIDA (Vee-dah.) I am mostly known for my beautiful wearable art (scarves, wraps, jewelry, etc.) for both women and men that is available in my VIDA Collection.

What sets my art apart from others is that my pieces are one-of-a-kind. This is especially true of my VIDA Collection as the Persian meaning of VIDA denotes–“A Rare Find.”

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memory is eating peanut butter and apple jelly sandwiches at my maternal grandmother’s house. I considered them luxuries because my mother could only afford to give us the bare necessities, and even doing that was difficult most of the time. Grandma always had those items in her pantry so every time I went to her house, she would let me make sandwiches for myself. Even though we didn’t have much materially as a family, I still consider those the “good ol’ days.”

Contact Info:

• Website: www.naturegiftstore.net
• Phone: (470) 250-0406
• Email: maxinebillings@yahoo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maxinebillings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturesfinestbymaxinebillings/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaxineBillings
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxine-billings-6b8a8b93/

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