Photo by Cole Hughes

Senior Patrick Henson completes one of his projects during Mr. Mason’s art class.

On senior Patrick Henson’s art desk, ideas and drafts are sprawled about with more than ten hours within the past week spent on them.

“I’ve been drawing since I was three, so I guess it has just been in my nature,” Henson said. “It really means a lot to me; it’s like my life.”

Henson created and continues to create many different works of art and enters into several different contests and competitions. Among these contests and competitions, he participates in VASE, the Historic Mansfield Music and Arts Festival and the district-wide art contest.

“Last year I won best in show at the district art contest and that was really significant to me,” Henson said.

Art comes in multiple forms, from physical creations, such as ceramics, sculpture and architecture, to capturing the images on paper, such as drawing, painting and photography. Henson works in areas like ceramics, but he says drawing in charcoal continues as his favorite art to work with.

“High school art has given me experience with lots of different mediums,” Henson said. “It has helped me to broaden the types of art that I do.”

Henson currently works on a glass vase. Shame, Henson’s favorite work of art, used charcoal as its medium.

“I feel really proud of what I did,” Henson said, “and the detail I put into it and the time too.”

But Henson isn’t the only one impressed with his art. Art teacher David Mason has positive views of Henson’s artwork and says he tries to push Henson to create even greater works.

“I think he’s a good representational artist, in that he is really good at duplicating what he sees,” Mr. Mason said, “but it doesn’t show how talented he truly is.”

Currently, Mr. Mason tries to assist Henson in moving away from representational art to more personal art.

“I think ‘Shame’ is very personal and shows his personality and growth as an artist,” Mr. Mason said. “I think as he experiences more and gets additional feedback it will push him in the direction he needs to go in to bring out his own voice and expressions instead of direct copies of things.”