Art is a form of expression. It can be expressed in many ways. In the case of Sophia Eccher and Jameson Walker, it is through visual works of art. Visual art includes paintings, charcoal drawings, sketches, and many other forms of art. The art classes that these two extraordinary students take are for more than just the artwork they produce. It’s for the feeling, the accomplishment and the support that art has in their lives. This is true not only for them but for everyone in the Lakewood High School art community.

The inspiration that these students have starts from the teachers that they see every day. The art department is run by teachers who not only want to teach their students art, but life lessons as well. Dayna Hansen became an art teacher because of her teacher, Michelle Kane, at Mentor High School. Hansen said, “She not only taught me how to make good art, but she also asked me if I was okay, and talked to me as a person.”

Even though students are putting on a smile in the classroom, it doesn’t mean they aren’t going through their own personal things. Having a teacher whom they know they can trust and who does more than assign homework is a true blessing. Hansen follows this motto and wants her students to “…feel seen, feel heard, and feel like they can grow as artists.” Hansen successfully does this—ask any of her students.

As a teacher, your primary goal is for your students to learn and succeed. In Hansen’s case, this goal has become a reality.

All art students at Lakewood High School are exceptional and highly talented. Eccher and Walker are two of many to have their artwork recognized. Both of them have different approaches, values and dreams that have helped them become the artists they are today and will continue to be in the future.

Walker is a Senior in Art 4. His artwork, which was recognized in the Juried High School Art Exhibition at Otterbein, was done by him in his junior year. Surprisingly, it was a complete shock when he saw that his piece had been selected. A lot was going on in his life at the time, and Walker said, “I honestly just started sketching what I saw… all I had to do was take the still life at face value and think of it in simple shapes.”

His process speaks to him as an artist: a piece that looks complex was created through a relaxing process involving simple shapes. It was almost impossible for Walker to be chosen, as he says, “I almost didn’t finish on time,” but his natural talent kicked in, allowing for a quick finish.

It’s difficult for people to stay committed to one thing, such as artwork, at this young age. One needs to find their inner motivation to keep them going. Walker said, “My biggest motivations and inspirations for creating art are my family and friends.” Having the ability to show off his hard work and his talent allows Walker to pursue his dream.

It all comes down to his teachers. “They not only encouraged me to push myself, but also gave me the freedom to explore new ideas to make my art more unique,” Walker said. Just as Hansen emphasized, teachers aim to inspire their students—something they did for Walker, helping him find himself and his style.

Eccher, also a senior in Art 4, shared that her artwork was similar to Walker’s; both had submitted their pieces in their junior year Art 3 class with Ms. Olear. This was one of many classes that both Walker and Eccher have taken in their high school careers. Eccher deeply connects with art. “Art has always just been something I’ve done since I was little, and it really just makes me feel complete and accomplished as a person,” says Eccher. Everyone has their own thing—art, sports, music, cooking—the possibilities are endless.

Art is a form of expression, and can also help you express and learn about yourself. Eccher also made a self-portrait and learned some lessons from her time making it. Eccher said, “I could say it’s a way of grasping my identity. I was able to connect to my lineage through the painting.” She was able to make a deeper connection to herself and to the painting—embodying what art is for. She can express herself, learn her identity, and learn what makes her unique, all while making a beautiful piece of work.

Walker also went into a deep dive for his self-portrait. He connected on a deeper level with his dad, James Walker, who helped him in his painting journey. His dad took the reference photos and, more importantly, gave Walker a motto to live by in his art: “I don’t ever see every individual detail about the world; I see it in large shapes to get the general impression.” This piece not only impacted Walker but his dad as well. Art doesn’t just help one person, but it also helps everyone involved.

Walker and Eccher both want to inspire others to keep going on the art-making journey. They can agree that it is stressful and time-consuming, but you have to push through it and get to the point where you create beautiful and unique works. Without this mindset, Walker and Eccher wouldn’t be where they are today and wouldn’t have the future ahead of them.

Both Walker’s and Eccher’s art will be displayed and presented at the Juried High School Art Exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Otterbein University. Be sure to check out these works along with many other talented high school artists.