Although he holds his pencil tightly, his mind is open.

With brown hair, coffee-colored sweater, and half of a smile, his body posture communicates readiness.

He’s ready to pull in the setting and regurgitate it onto his sketchbook, adding a bit of his taste. But who or what is the source of his talent?

Tracing back to decades before his time, someone shares his artistic passion: great grandpa Hart. Through blood and through love, senior Dane Hart creates some of his best work by observing others.

“It takes real work ethic to be successful in something like this. And you always have to be willing to improve. Because there’s always room.”

He captures every feature of the dimly lit coffee shop through his hand. Each stroke a mindless action yet it takes so much skill.

Dane has been sketching and crafting since as far back as he can remember. The faded memory of laying on the outrageously colored carpet in his preschool classroom drawing swirly hands over and over again is one he describes.

“It’s the only thing that flows from me naturally.”

After years of building upon a talent, he finally perfected it enough to do projects for other people. A few students roaming the halls of NHS have purchased some of his  art and made it a showcase!

But with a talent that is seemingly useless in the eyes of society, what’s the point?

Realists vs. artists know — career advice centers on money.  Questions hover:  “Will it ever make you any money?” or “What’s your backup plan?”

Hesitation follows.

Am I good enough?

Am I too over confident in myself?

Or is this what I’m meant to be?

In the small library of NHS, Dane opens the door into his  creative world and expresses some of his doubts; however, he has more hope than doubt flowing through his hand.