Chapter 16
She fixed her gaze on the spot where Ines was standing.”
At that moment, Timothy stepped forward, bringing Sheila and Henry with him.
He wanted to see for himself what exactly this “talent and spark” Ines claimed to see in someone’s eyes looked like.
Sheila had been into animation since grade school. All these years at Aetherion, she’d even worked on a major project with the renowned director Mr. Smith–so how could she possibly lack talent or spark?!
Ines cast a long, searching look at the covered frame, then turned to face the crowd.
She spoke slowly, her voice calm and clear. “I hadn’t originally planned to exhibit this piece. But honestly, I couldn’t find a single flaw in it. Today marks the first stop on my national tour, and this is one of the country’s landmark animation conventions. After a lot of thought, I decided to bring it out for everyone to appreciate and learn from.”
With that, Ines stepped aside and pulled the deep red cloth away from the large frame.
For a moment, it was as if someone had pressed mute on the entire gallery.
The silence was so profound, you could have heard a pin drop.
It was a painting of The Grand Canal, Venice.
But instead of the usual somber palette, the scene burst with vivid, luminous colors.
The people and scenery retained their classic forms, yet everything had been reimagined with the stylized flair of animation.”
Every line seemed to leap from the canvas, as if sculpted in relief.
Every
Although the image was perfectly still, it felt astonishingly alive–each figure seemed ready to move at any moment.”
It was like watching an animation frozen in time.
For thirty long seconds, nobody moved or spoke.
Timothy finally understood what Ines meant by “talent and spark.”
Stillness that hinted at motion, motion that felt impossibly still.
Yet, something about the piece felt oddly familiar…
Of course–paper cutwork.
The intricate relief technique made the picture pulse with life.
Suddenly, the silence shattered. Applause exploded like thunder through the hall. As the clapping began to fade, Ines raised both hands, signaling for quiet.
She began to explain the piece’s unique strengths.
Much like Timothy’s own impression–dynamic yet tranquil, still yet full of motion.
She spoke of the way old and new blended together, and how the relief–cut technique had been ingeniously used in the animation design.
And then, Ines revealed something else: the work was not her own design. Instead, it had been a fortieth birthday gift from one of her students.
Someone called out, “Which student, Ms. Ines? Will we get to see any more of her work?”
Ines smiled and replied, “Probably not. She found her own happiness–got married and moved on. Talents like hers don’t come around often, but all of you who love animation should keep learning. Who knows? The next gifted artist could be sitting among you.”
But even as she smiled, a deep note of regret crept into her voice.
Jessica felt a lump in her throat, her eyes shining with tears as she slipped out of the crowd.
Henry noticed that Sheila hadn’t taken her eyes off the painting. Tugging at Timothy’s sleeve, he looked up and asked, “Dad, can you buy this design for me? I really
want it.“2
“I’ll have to ask Ines,” Timothy replied.”
Henry glanced at Sheila again, noticing her unwavering gaze..
He looked back at Timothy, his voice firm. “Dad, please. You have to get it for me. I love it.”
Meanwhile, Ines moved on to introduce her other works, hoping to ignite a passion for animation in more people and inspire interest in the field.
When her presentation ended, she retreated to the lounge.
Timothy asked Sheila to keep an eye on Henry, saying he had something to take care of.
Sheila assured him she’d handle it.
Timothy made his way to Ines’s lounge.
When she saw him enter, Ines greeted him with a warm smile. “As you saw, I don’t just accept any student. I’m looking for someone who can carry on my ideals and vision.”
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