Junior Zane Van Pelt sits down in the art wing and clears his mind. Everything that has been going on in his life flows out of his mind, through his paintbrush, and onto the canvas. Van Pelt not only takes art because it’s his favorite class, but because it gives him time to relax and clear his mind.

Van Pelt took his first JC art class when he transferred as a sophomore. However, he first began taking art in his freshman year at Boy’s Latin. Van Pelt said he began taking art because “[He] found studio as a way to take time for myself and to think about whatever is on my mind.”

Van Pelt is currently taking Honors Studio 3, which is taught by art teacher Bruno Baran. Van Pelt has had Baran as a teacher for his entire time here.

There is not one favorite art class Van Pelt has, as they are similar. “All studio classes are a sequel of each other with different assignments as we learn more techniques for different mediums, so I cannot really pick a favorite,” Van Pelt said.

Van Pelt prefers creating whatever he can think of when in studio class. “I prefer doing any kind of studio artwork that pops into my mind as something I like or that I am interested in,” Van Pelt said.

Van Pelt does not have a specific work of his own that he likes the most, but he has a few favorites. “I like my dream catcher and my anatomical heart. Also I like my charcoal portrait and my oil painting of a hibiscus flower,” Van Pelt said.

Currently, Van Pelt is working on portraits. “They aren’t my favorite projects to do but they aren’t too bad.”

Baran believes that Van Pelt is talented but has room for improvement. “He is a good artist but he needs to apply himself more just like everyone else,” Baran said. Baran says he enjoys Van Pelt’s drawing work the most. “I have seen a lot of improvement in his work.”

Cole Alban is a Managing Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.