Max Collins is an artist and former funeral director who helps people tell stories about the ones they love—through portraits, murals, installations, and collaborative workshops. His work often explores themes of memory, loss, and connection, but it’s just as much about being present, listening well, and creating something meaningful together.

With a background in photojournalism and fine art from the University of Michigan, Max started out photographing people—then began putting those portraits into public space. What began with wheat-pasted photographs eventually led to large-scale murals, museum installations, and community-driven projects that invite participation, reflection, and care.

Over the years, he’s worked with families, nonprofits, museums, and neighborhood groups—sometimes to honor someone who’s passed, sometimes to document a place or moment in time, and sometimes just to make something beautiful and personal. He’s led workshops for grieving kids, created murals from old family photos, and collaborated with institutions like The Dougy Center, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, and the Springville Center for the Arts.

In 2016, Max became a licensed funeral director and launched Hallow Studios, a side project offering creative memorial services including portraits, rituals, and hands-on art-making with families. That experience continues to shape how he approaches his work today—with empathy, flexibility, and a respect for whatever shape a story wants to take.

Now based in Western New York, Max continues to take on commissions, collaborations, and community projects of all kinds. His work has been shown in galleries and museums—including the Burchfield Penney Art Center—but more often, it lives in homes, neighborhoods, and shared spaces where memory and meaning already exist.