As a child, Asha Bolton loved drawing. Her passion for art began to develop quickly where, as a member of the Perry Central High School’s Art Club, she was introduced to painting by her art teacher, John Watts. She won her first award for painting at the Beta Convention in 2014. Mr. Watts was a great teacher and supporter of Asha, and he truly believed she would become a great artist. After being told by many other people in her life that an artist could not earn a comfortable living, and that she should choose a more stable career first, she did not initially continue her education in art. Mr. Watts was saddened to hear this, but he reminded her to never stop creating. Asha was heartbroken to find out that, unfortunately, Mr. Watts had passed away in her first year of college. 

Soon after Mr. Watts' passing, Asha made a promise to herself that she would pursue her dream of becoming an artist. She felt a constant desire to switch to a Fine Art major; however, this was not an option. She had to finish her current major, because of what she had been told all her life: choose a stable career.  

So, to settle her thoughts, she decided to major in Veterinary Medical Technology and minor in Art. She graduated in 2019 from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Veterinary Medical Technology. She soon found herself working as an Ophthalmology Veterinary Technician at the Animal Health Veterinary Hospital in Starkville, MS.  

During her first year out of college, she created personal paintings as well as paintings for others. It gave her a lot of joy to see the happiness her art brought them. Because of this, Asha decided to pursue further education in the arts and began her search for an online art school, since she was aware that going back to school would need to be on her own terms. She quickly discovered The Academy of Art University, where she would now pursue her passion to create by embarking on a Master of Fine Art degree in 2020. 

Balancing the study of art with a full-time job as a veterinary technologist, Asha spends her late nights working on assignments. She believes it is important to set aside dedicated time for her artistic goals, as the work requires time and processing. As Asha continues to develop her artistic skills, she hopes to master her craft while living a lifestyle of freedom and creativity because, for her, that is the meaning of true success.