Student Artists of the Month at Gallery 510

Gallery 510 Art & Framing will be featuring one student from a Central Illinois high school each month along with the professional featured artist at the gallery. Before the gallery artist begins to talk about their work at each First Friday Gallery Walk, we will introduce the “Student of the Month” and show their piece of artwork that will remain on display throughout the month.

Sophomores at Eisenhower High School

“My name is Amare Booker. My journey into the creative world began long before I founded this company. When I was just 8 years old, I started taking on commission jobs. This was my earliest artistic venture, and it allowed me to relentlessly hone my skills by learning a wide range of styles. I devoted myself to mastering techniques like sculpting, detailed painting, and foundational sketching.      

Then, at 10, I discovered my true calling: Animation. It was the boundless creativity—the pure desire to bring characters and worlds to life—that truly cemented my professional direction. In the years leading up to the studio’s launch, I was constantly educating myself and preparing to turn this vision into a tangible company. My preparation wasn’t just artistic; I was strategically learning the technical aspects of production and developing the business framework necessary for a successful enterprise. This intense self-preparation led me to found the company at the age of 14. The program you see was born directly out of that initial passion and vision.

Not long after my initial founding, my partner, Prince Palmer, joined me. While I had the original vision and laid the groundwork for the company, the partnership marked a transformative moment. It was his unique and creative talent, combined with his incredible perspective and intelligence, that were instrumental in making some of the most significant and impactful changes you see today. After partnering with Prince, we rebranded the company, officially solidifying our combined strengths under the name MAO Animation STUDIOS.”

See Amare’s and Prince’s work on display at Gallery 510 in November.