I stepped back and looked at my canvas for what feels like the hundredth time, my critical eye scanning the base colors that, with a bit of detail, with a bit of shadows and highlights, will become a piece to be proud of.

But what does it lack? Emotion. What all artists say art is truly about. Sure, it matches the reference, but it lacks soul. 

And until this year, I had no idea how to achieve that crucial step in the making of art. 

My Drawing II teacher is to thank for that discovery. The second project we did was with oil pastels, a medium I never tried. I struggled at first, but I finished the piece with a proud smile in the end. 

Only for her to tell me I could do better, and that I should start over.

At first, I was extremely disappointed, I thought I had poured my heart and soul into the piece.

But then I started the re-do, and I realized she was right. I made something ten times better, and with ten times more emotion and realism.

Since then, I have found out how art can convey the emotions of the artist, but it can also create emotions for the audience. 

The best example of that was with my favorite teacher. She came into class late one day, eyes red, voice softer, shakier, seeming more unsure. Her smile looked more forced, and she was quieter, less enthusiastic than she usually was.

Something was wrong. 

I knew it deep in my gut. But how could I fix that? What power did I have as a high school teenager? I felt powerless. 

My original plan was to make her a cupcake or a cookie, a sweet that would show I cared. But that would only give a momentary burst of happiness, and it lacked depth.

Then an idea popped into my head. Art. I could create feelings with art, and with such a powerful gift I was determined to use it to help her.

I picked up my markers and my pencil and began the process. Sketch the basic shapes. Sketch the details. Erase. Outline. Add color. 

Soon, I was staring at a piece to be proud of.

I had chosen flowers, a universal symbol of hope and new beginnings, to sketch and to give to her. 

To this day, I still don’t know what was bothering her. But it didn’t really matter. That smile she got when I gave her that piece of artwork, that was reward in itself. 

That was perhaps the first time I realized that my art had power. That I could create something from nothing with just the stroke of a pencil or a paintbrush. 

I hope to improve my skills in Drawing III next year to better my skills and follow my passion, and I plan to continue to use it to capture emotion to make the world a bit brighter. 

I encourage everyone to do the same. Find your passion, and use that power to help people and better the world around you.