by Jennifer Zhan, opinions editor

Whether it comes in the form of an entire class fawning over his latest project or the small crowd of friends that gathers to watch him in the art room after school, there’s no question that sophomore Jackson Lacey is recognized on campus for his artistic skills.

“I think everyone needs to have at least one thing that they can be known for,” Lacey said. “It seems to be drawing for me and well, it feels pretty good.”

However, Lacey disagrees with people who compliment him by saying he’s better than they could ever be. He dislikes the idea that artistic talent is something you either have or don’t.

“To me art’s just a way of expressing what’s in your mind in a physical way,” Lacey said. “Obviously, other people can’t know what you’re thinking at any given time, but if you have art, you get close to that by showing people what affects you and what inspires you.”

He believes that art is a skill that can be developed and refined with practice, just like anything else.

“First draw whatever you want. It’s not important to always try to impart a deep meaning to your art, because that can just be insincere and meaningless in the long run,” Lacey said. “You have to first work on improving your skills before you can start creating true, meaningful things. I think I’m still kind of in that phase myself.”

He said before taking art, he was mostly self-taught and was still struggling to find a direction. With a teacher to guide him, Lacey said he’s been able to start experimenting with the vast possibilities that art offers.

“As far as 2-D goes, I’m trying to expand into other mediums other than just markers and paint and pencils. There’s a lot of alternative things that you can do that I haven’t really explored that much,” Lacey said. “As for sculpting, I’d like to try getting better at throwing pottery on the wheel— that’s a really hard thing to master.”

Although Lacey isn’t sure what role art will play in his life in the long run, he says it’s come a long way from when it started as just a way to spend time.

“It’s still a hobby, something that I really enjoy, but it became a lot more. I’m actively trying to improve now,” Lacey said. “Whatever happens, art will always remain an important part of my life.”

Check out some of Lacey’s work in the gallery below:

[Show as slideshow]

Want to see even more of Lacey’s art? Follow him at instagram.com/jacksoninja.