Buffalo, NY–based artist Justine Palkowski creates coastal-inspired acrylic paintings and hand-painted ornaments through her small-batch art brand, Second Shore. Growing up near Lake Erie sparked her love of the water, and her work captures the calm and beauty of shoreline life. Using both palette knives and brushes, she blends soft horizons and bold textures, reflecting the colors of the sky on the water. Her goal is to transport viewers to the water’s edge, even from home. Palkowski’s work is sold in local and online galleries, featured in the 2025 Decorators’ Show House Boutique, with an upcoming Buffalo exhibition in January 2026.

"Growing up near Lake Erie, I’ve always been inspired by the vastness and calm of the Great Lakes. There’s something grounding about standing on the shoreline and watching the colors of the sky reflect on the water. It’s both ever-changing and familiar. My work captures that feeling of of standing on the shoreline, using texture and color to bring the lakes’ beauty indoors. Even when I’m not physically by the water, painting allows me to revisit that sense of peace and nostalgia, and I hope my art gives viewers the same feeling of being at the water’s edge. Painting photos I've taken on the Great Lakes (mostly Erie and Ontario), feel like love letters to the water."