HI — it's me, Holden Ivashin!

I am a student of design in Monterey County, California and digital media hobbyist who blends graphic art, web experiences, and the occasional film to uniquely communicate colorful, expressive ideas. (I'm also a bow tie enthusiast.)

My imagination doesn't have an off switch: it powers my originality. I'm always excited to learn something new to better communicate my ideas. As a confident solo act, responsible group leader, or reliable team member, I listen carefully, meet deadlines, and exceed expectations. Dedication, hard work, and practice level up my skills.

When I was a child, I painted a depiction of my "bekratwif" (decorative) family. They fostered my imagination and storytelling through word play, comic book drawings, and LEGO® bricks. These were my initial "building blocks" for artistic expression. Then, a laptop computer changed everything. It unlocked exciting worlds of connection, learning, and fun. With it, I discovered new forms of storytelling, especially stop motion animation. I learned that the quality of my craft and communication improved with planning, focus, and patience.

Animating inspired me to pursue video production and editing, but I left those career plans on the cutting room floor after I discovered digital art and design in high school. Digital art introduced me to creative expression through image manipulation and raster drawing. However, my Publications class introduced me to design fundamentals including composition, layout, typography, and color theory within a large-scale project. I deeply invested my time and effort into development and became the Graphic Editor, responsible for adjusting content to create a cohesive and consistent look and feel. I began to notice the inherent design choices around me, and this experience blazed my path towards Communication Design at California State University Monterey Bay.

My approach to design synergizes artistic composition, computer technologies, and tactful planning. I meticulously ponder design choices and search for unique ways to apply, iterate, and communicate them clearly. As I continue to explore this wide field, I will always strive for my work to make a difference, from upholding social justice and environmental action to simply bringing a smile to people's faces. I'd love to make you smile too.