And the Winner Is.....

And the Winner Is..... 

“And the winner is...” As Jacque nervously awaited the announcement, his mind wandered off to being selected as the 1921 Artisan of the Year for the city of Charleston. All of the hard work and long hours that I have dedicated to my craft, making the most beautiful furniture this side of South Carolina. My humble beginning from a small shop working side-by-side with my father would finally pay off. The pause was everlasting. Jacque thought to himself. When is he going to announce the name? Jacque mind drifted off again as he thought about the grand prize, an all-expense paid trip to New York where they would enjoy one week of presenting their award-winning hand-made crafts to the finest craftspersons in America, followed by a trip to Europe to demonstrate the prize-winning craft to the best artist in Paris. And to top it all off, a one-month visit to the Bahous School in Germany, where the best Artisans attend to hone their skills and to learn from the best; Joseph and Anni Albers, Paul Keal, Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky. There are many others, but in Jacque’s mind, these are the most influential artisans of the era.  

“The winner is...Jacque Dupree!” At first, Jacques was like, who is Jacques Dupree? Then he finally realized it was me, I had won! Blood came rushing to his head, and his face was turning red with all the excitement that was overcoming him. Jacques slowly approached the stage, whispering to himself, “I won! I won!” He reached the presenter, hugged him, and grabbed the small, beautifully crafted trophy with the inscription ‘1921 Artisan of the Year.’ I did it; now it is time to show my talent to the world.  

The morning of the trip to New York was very sunny but crisp. Jacque packed a suitcase with his best wardrobe, two of his finest suits, an overcoat, four pocket squares, and three bow ties.   He wanted to look his best when presenting his work to the best artisans America had. Jacque was scheduled to display his winning piece in many venues during this one-week trip before boarding a ship and sailing to France. These venues include the Ameria International Exposition, the top galleries and salons, and high-end department stores like Macy’s and Lord & Taylor. There was even a showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. Around midafternoon the next day, Jacque arrived in New York and was met by his guide, Pierre, who took him to his hotel to prepare for his first showing at the Gallery on 5th Avenue. That began a very adventurous seven days of meeting famous artisans, adoring fans, visiting famous galleries and salons, and presenting his award-winning art. This is where I belong. Jacque was thinking about it during his last night in the big city. Tomorrow, I will head to France to make my art known worldwide.   

The following day, Jacque woke up very excited. He was getting ready to go on a ship for a two-week voyage to one of the most famous countries in Europe. He hurried to pack his bag with the clothes he had bought from home and a few souvenirs he picked up during his visit to New York. Jacque hurried downstairs and met Pierre in front of the hotel, where they both jumped into a cab and headed to the pier. When they arrived, Jacque looked in amazement at how small this ship was. Is this going to make it across the ocean? He thought to himself, remembering the disaster just a few years earlier. Jacque shook his head to get rid of that bad thought and went onboard, ready for the next step of his prize-winning adventure.  

First came the sound of a whistle from the deck officer standing outside the bridge facing the pier, followed by the loud sound of the ship’s horn and a slight shudder. We are finally leaving. Jacque said as he waved to Pierre and the bystanders, who were yelling, “Bon voyage. Have a great time. Enjoy your trip.” All the saying to wish the passengers the best of luck on their voyage. After watching the land disappear, the sunset for the day in the western sky as the ship got over the horizon. Jacque enjoyed a nice dinner of fried fish and potatoes as he settled in for his first night of many at sea. Afterward, Jacque walked around the ship, enjoying the warm breeze. He soon started to daydream, thinking about what he would do. I will spend the next couple of days planning my schedule and maybe building my next award-winning project, at least in my mind.  

I can’t sleep, Jacque was thinking to himself as he lied tossing and turning. The ship was rocking back and forth for most of the night. I need to find something to help me relax. Jacque got up, put on his robe, and walked outside his cabin, looking for anyone who might have Veronal, Medinal, or a couple enjoying a late-night cap. There was a sudden shake as he got around the corner, followed by a strange and frightening noise. Jacque was thrown to the deck. “What is going on?” He got up and realized that what he was feeling on the bottom of his feet was not the deck of the ship but the sand. What in the world? Shaking his head, looking around. The only thing he could see were pieces of debris and broken dishes. “Oh my God, what happened to the ship?” “Where is everybody?” No sign of life anywhere. Jacque was alone. As he stared out, dazed and confused, he couldn’t believe what was happening. Tears began to fill his eyes as he started to walk around to see if he could find anyone who may have survived.  

After a short time, Jacque saw something extraordinary amongst the bushes. It looked like a brown box shaped like a trunk. As he got closer, he saw the decorative trunk door, with decorative medals on the sides and a solid gold lock, giving the trunk an elegant impression. Jacque knelt before the box and saw about a two-inch gap between the door and the rest of the trunk. Jacque searched around for something to pry the rest of the box open. He found a board about a foot long, sturdy enough to open the box. With a little effort, Jacque opened the trunk. Suddenly, he fell to the ground, amazed at what was inside. It was the most fantastic handicraft that he had ever seen. It was a small building model made of decorative glass, terracotta, and precious metal. This is amazing, Jacque thought. Whoever designed this piece was a genius. Jacque began to pick up the masterpiece with his hands when suddenly the ship’s horn began to sound, starting him from sleep. Jacque woke up and realized that he wasn’t alone on a sandy island or holding the next excellent replica. He was just dreaming. Jacque scrambled to find paper and any kind of writing utensil to draw what he saw in his vision so that it would be an inspiration for his next award-winning masterpiece.