MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. — Emily Collins Neel is a self-taught artist who puts brush to canvas painting beachscapes, capturing the wonders of nature one stroke at a time.  

And what better backdrop to get her creative juices flowing? Any given day, you'll find her set up on the sand in Melbourne Beach.

"When you are out in nature, you are seeing the real thing,” Neel said. “It's truth."

Encouraging artistic expression is part of the mission of this year’s theme for Women’s History Month — recognizing women in all forms of media and storytelling.

"Going outside and seeing what those colors really are is the best teacher," Neel explained.

She began her journey studying abroad in Paris, taking a course in art and literature.

After class, they would go see the real thing.

She became fond of “en plein air,” French for “paint outside.”   

The National Women’s History Alliance is encouraging women in all media forms to tell their stories.

Neel’s story and love for painting lay dormant in her subconscious for years as she pursued a career as a dermatology physician assistant.

But in 2019, something clicked after she took a watercolor workshop.

And then, 2020 happened, and the COVID-19 pandemic kept more people at home.

"I did telemedicine from home, so I had a little more time," she said. "So, I decided to paint a little every day, and I haven't stopped."

Neel also paints landscapes, portraits, animals — anything to do with her sleepy beach town.

She also brings us into tiny worlds, painting inside ALTOIDS tins.

She said she wants her passion to be contagious. She wants people young and old to discover her love for painting — and to craft their own works, while telling the story of our world.

"If you have your passion, you are very lucky to find that,” Neel said. “Not a lot of people find their passion."

For many, that is a way to celebrate women who tell their stories, pursuing truth and reflecting on the world.