Help Jaylen get to art college in Maine...

Hey everyone! My name is Jaylen Holt. I am an emerging artist with experience and accomplishments in photography, art and music and recently graduated from North Atlanta High School in Atlanta, Georgia. I am very devoted and enthusiastic when it comes to my artistic passions.

I am very happy to announce that I have been accepted into my dream art college in Portland, Maine --Maine College Of Art  known as MECA . My major will be photography with a minor in music. I recently visited the college and got to meet its staff and see firsthand the classes and the dozens of specialty studios open for student use 24-hours a day. See MECA Virtual Visit .

I urgently need your help to make this happen. Thankfully, MECA has awarded me some scholarships that will cover a portion of my tuition, room and board and other mandatory school expenses that total to $58,385 per school year.

However, I still need to raise the balance for this year and greatly appreciate any amount you are able to donate.

My passion for the Arts. Photographer Gordon Parks said, “Enthusiasm is the electricity of life.” I am very energized to be as creative as possible. What sparked my interest and passion for the arts in general is that no matter what is on my mind I am able to express it through art. The thought of being able to endlessly create has led me to want a good education in order to create meaningful and dynamic art. I am driven to learn more and am determined to be successful.

My artistic background. I’ve expanded my knowledge of not just art but the arts in general, from music to photography to even the technical side of the arts. My high school newspaper wrote, “For Holt, one of the more creative members of his class, the pandemic has given him a unique opportunity to further develop his expanding artistic talents.” Please see this article about me! Jaylen Holt Paints His Own Creative Senior Year, The Warrior Wire North Atlanta High School , by Chelsey Hodge, November 8, 2020

Photography. One of my major life goals is to be an accomplished photographer like my idol,Gordon Parks , who used his camera to document and share social conditions, as well as to showcase the expressions and beauty of his subjects. I have done various photo shoots of individuals, nature and events and enjoy experimenting with my camera. This summer I have a photography internship at an Atlanta clothing company where I am gaining experience photographing live models to promote the clothing line.

Music. Since I was in elementary school in Brooklyn, I studied music starting with the violin. In Atlanta at middle school and high school, I was honored to have performed at Carnegie Hall with my middle school orchestra and performed in several competitions winning multiple awards and certificates for my musical capabilities. As a percussionist in the North Atlanta High school Drum Line (the Marching Warriors), I performed for official NFL Super Bowl events and did community service work performing at local churches. I became a leader figure in the band and made it to the Nationals. Outside of school, I also assisted in music production.

Art. I was painting for a few years and experimented with different techniques. One of my achievements is that in my initial art competition at school I received Honorable Mention certificates for my submitted works. In describing my art, the school newspaper wrote: “It’s a passion he first picked up in middle school and his current painting focus involves creating acrylic pours on canvas. He calls his art a mixture of abstract expressions and modernistic color mash-ups.” And, “He’s using his senior year to develop his already very prodigious art skills. Here he holds his colorful and unique acrylic-pour canvases that are making splashes on social media platforms.”

Film. In 2020, I was very fortunate to have been chosen to participate in the Atlanta Black Star magazine’s summer youth film production program.

Thank you in advance for your help. I will send periodic updates to those who donate so you can follow my progress at MECA.

P.S. As an incentive to donate I will be personally sending Digital wallpapers To the people who donate to show my gratitude 

Jaylen Holt 

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