A BALLINSPITTLE teenager’s award-winning drawing of pop sensation Billie Eilish has been chosen to feature in an exhibition at the city library on Grand Parade, all this month.
Edie Collins (13) is already a well-established TikTok star, with over 600,000 followers on the popular app, having only joined it on New Year’s Day last year.
Not only that, but she has over 8,000 followers on Instagram, and 14,500 subscribers on YouTube, where she gives out helpful hints on art and drawing.
Edie’s drawing of the American pop singer took third prize at the 66th Texaco Children’s Art competition last year and she received the good news that, as part of this year’s Children’s Book festival, her award-winning entry is featuring in the exhibition.
Speaking to The Southern Star, Edie’s mum Orla said this was a huge achievement for someone of such a young age. ‘When we got the letter to confirm about her painting being exhibited in Cork Central Library for the month of October, we were absolutely over the moon,’ said Orla.
‘Edie does spend a lot of time working on her videos and I oversee all of her social media. She is also being offered so many products to promote that we have to choose wisely and sparingly, so as not to become an advert, rather than an artist. There’s a world of opportunity on TikTok, but she has loads of time to go down that road.’
It was only during lockdown last year that Edie got more serious about her art, and started spending hours in her bedroom drawing. Despite being dyslexic, it has been a huge confidence booster for Edie.
As well as posting videos of tips on how to draw, Edie is also selling merchandise from her website, which includes stickers which are already proving popular with her followers.
The former pupil of Ballinspittle National School is now in first year at Kinsale Community School and is balancing her homework with posting her entertaining videos.
For more info see www.ediedoesart.com
