Freshman Cali Thornton sees the world through a different light and that different perspective can be seen through her art.

“I’ve been drawing since pre-k,” Cali said. “About 12 years give or take.”

Some artists learn from videos or classes while others just have pure natural talent.

“I am mostly self taught,” Cali said. “But I take a lot of inspiration from my favorite artists and art I see online. I see the techniques they use and try to replicate them. I look at things like how they mix paints, how they shade, coloring, undertones, etc.”

Art is most often a way to express one’s emotions.

“I draw because it makes me happy, that’s what art is all about. You can express emotions with different mediums and I find that really cool,” Cali said.

Art has many different mediums and tools to use. Sketching especially has different tools used by the artist. Some may include charcoals, pencils, and pens. Even pencils have different sizes and strengths depending on the type of stroke you want.

“I like to do sketches with a ball point pen,” Cali said. “Since it isn’t erasable it makes you take more care with your strokes.”

“I would like people to know that I have a life outside of art and that other artists do too,” Cali said. “Sometimes people focus all of their attention on their art and that’s just not healthy. It’s okay to take breaks. I take many breaks while drawing. Art is a way to express yourself, but it also takes work. You should always have resting periods to prevent physical and mental burnout. Having multiple hobbies is always good, I enjoy reading books and playing with my dog when I’m not making art.”