I walked into Mr. Johnson’s class freshman year thinking, Oh great, art. I am going to fail. But that wasn’t actually the case because of my favorite teacher Mr. Johnson. He was the  pencil to the paper in art and the torch to the solder when it came to Jewelry. Because of Mr. Johnson, I was able to enjoy art class, even though I wasn’t great at it.
In previous classes, I didn’t ask for help, and soon most teachers got frustrated with me. But Mr. Johnson never got frustrated. He always sat down with each student and made sure they got it.
I really enjoyed the way he made his students feel at home when they were in his art room, so soon I signed up for another class: Jewelry. Even though I was confident I would have a good time in the class, I wasn't confident in using the torches or in soldering metal together.
One day I was trying to solder a ring, but I couldn’t get the band soldered together. I was getting very frustrated. Mr. Johnson reminded me that sanding the piece would help the metal stick together. It reassured me that all I have to do is ask.
Mr. Johnson isn’t a teacher who cares only about his paycheck; instead, he  really cares about his students, even former students. One day he asked me, “Hey, how is your brother doing? What is he going to college for?” He was exhilarated to find out that one of his students succeeded, even if  it wasn’t in art. It made me feel comfortable that I had a teacher who cared about his students.
Mr. Johnson isn’t just an art teacher, he is a passionate artist as well. In class, he shows us the pieces he made and tells the stories behind them. On Fridays he exclaims, “I’m going to an art show this weekend!”
In Mr. Johnson’s class, we were allowed to create our own designs with minimal guidelines, as long as we showed we knew how to use the techniques he demonstrated in class. This allowed me to get in touch with my artistic side, which I never knew I had. It made me feel as if I could do anything I wanted to. I created spoons, rings, necklaces, and lots of other things.
I may not be pursuing a career in art, but I will always remember the things Mr. Johnson taught me. No matter how frustrated I get Mr. Johnson reminds me, there will always be a solution, so I am never afraid to ask him for his advice . This is very helpful, as I tend to try to complete things on my own without asking for help.
I remember the time I got bored and walked in the classroom and said, “Ugh, Mr. J, how do you draw eyes on people? This is impossible.” Mr. Johnson sat down with me and reminded me that I needed to shade the iris from light to dark to make the piece realistic. Today I can still properly draw a nose.
For a project I made a usable spoon, and everyday when I pull it out to eat my cereal it reminds me of the fun times I had in Mr. Johnson’s art classes. I never thought that I could look at a piece of work and be proud to have made it with the help of a passionate, gifted, and patient art teacher.