Paint brushes, pencils, paper. What do these objects mean? For senior Weicong Zhu all of these objects mean happiness and peace. These objects create a feeling for him, a feeling he gets nowhere else.

He has been drawing since he was in second grade. He explains that his father is the one who has encouraged him to draw and continues to help him to improve. However, over the years he has found a lot of joy in his art. Art has become his oasis and his favorite hobby.

“My art expresses me, and how I feel in many ways,” Zhu said. It has become a devotion for him to show emotion and feeling in his art.

He specializes in drawing landscapes and people.

Zhu says that when he first began to draw he wasn’t very good, but over time he has gotten better with various stability techniques. These techniques help him maintain a stable hand and allow him to focus better.

“Zhu is a good artist,”  art teacher Jessica Raygoza said. “He is creative and puts in a lot of effort. He often goes back and fixes his art before he is completed with it.” That is why his art was chosen to be displayed in the Haggin Museum for the 82nd Annual McKee Student Art Exhibit.

This has not been the first art competition he has been in, but it is very significant to him because it is the first time his art is in a museum.

“I chose him because of the quality of his work. It is well done and shows effort,” Raygoza said.

“I was a bit excited and surprised because my art was actually in a museum,” Zhu said. “I am very proud of myself, but I have no time to visit the museum so it is a pity.”

However, he is not letting this discourage him. He is now more inspired to draw and paint. He feels that many people can view his art and that he is sharing a piece of himself with them.

In addition, he is now experiencing the feeling of wanting to become an artist. This feeling hadn’t occurred until after his achievement, making him want to do more with it.

Zhu feels it is important for him to keep drawing and stay confident in the work he does. Having his art displayed in a museum helps him gain this confidence.