yelled from the audience, which prompted laughs and a round of applause.
Miguel lifted his hand to quiet the crowd.
“I appreciate your enthusiasm,” he said with a smile. “As I said, it’s a privilege for me to be here. Before I became an artist, I had a very rocky start as a young man. Were it not for this man—” He gestured in the direction of Esteban. “I don’t know where I would be. As a teenager, he kept me out of trouble, and he showed me how to channel my energies into more positive pursuits. Without him, we would not be able to have this event here tonight, and very likely, I would not be here before you as Delgado, the sculptor. Please, give a round of applause to the faculty chair and my mentor, Dr. Esteban Callas.”
A loud round of applause broke out.
When the clapping died down, Miguel launched into his prepared speech about the importance of supporting the arts and their relevance in society. Drawing on his own experience, he pointed out how as a youth, he’d gotten into and out of trouble. Esteban caught him defacing public property with graffiti one day. Instead of calling the police, he told him he had real talent. If he agreed to remove what he’d done, Esteban said he would show him how to create acceptable images.
Through his encouragement and guidance, Miguel developed a love of creating, rather than destroying. He discovered a love for sculpting, and Esteban funded his first few projects by providing him with sculpting tools and materials. The rest was history.
Tonight’s donations would be used to expand art programs in the area—to the benefit of those young people who wanted to pursue careers in art. The money raised would also help local agencies produce more events, shows, and exhibitions to the benefit of all of Cuenca ’s citizens.
“And so I encourage you to search within your hearts tonight as you consider your bids for these unique pieces from our future artists. Think about the impact each of your dollars will have in our city. Consider the importance of art in our lives—whether it is visual or performance art. Understand that it not only adds beauty to the world around us, but it helps to make us well rounded. It keeps us civilized, and separates us from other living things through the ability to create. Through art, we have a means by which we grow to be better people, and it moves us forward through creativity, the expansion of our imagination, and hope.
“Hope. An important element in dragging a teen out of self-destructive despair. Hope that there would be a better tomorrow, and a young man could live a better life than the one he’d grown used to.”
Deafening applause followed when he finished his speech.
Miguel stepped down from the stage and a woman took over to conduct the auction. A few minutes into talking to another guest, he noticed Thomas Hill slowly winding his way through the crowd, a worried expression on his face. Once or twice he stopped and stood on tiptoe, searching for someone.
Miguel excused himself from yet another conversation he’d barely been paying attention to and approached the older man.
“Mr. Hill, is everything all right?” His first thought was that something had happened to Samirah. Since descending the stage, he hadn’t seen her, though she’d been easy enough to spot in her red dress when he stood behind the podium.
Thomas Hill seemed surprised Miguel knew his name. “Yes, I mean no. I came here with a young woman—Samirah, but I don’t see her. We need to leave immediately. I left my wife alone, and it seems she hurt herself trying to move around without assistance, and now I must hurry home to see to her.” He clenched his hands together in worry. “I really, really must go.”
Miguel rested a reassuring hand on his arm. “Samirah and I met the other day, so I know who she is. You should go and see to your wife. When I see Samirah, I’ll explain to her what happened and make sure she gets home
Miguel lifted his hand to quiet the crowd.
“I appreciate your enthusiasm,” he said with a smile. “As I said, it’s a privilege for me to be here. Before I became an artist, I had a very rocky start as a young man. Were it not for this man—” He gestured in the direction of Esteban. “I don’t know where I would be. As a teenager, he kept me out of trouble, and he showed me how to channel my energies into more positive pursuits. Without him, we would not be able to have this event here tonight, and very likely, I would not be here before you as Delgado, the sculptor. Please, give a round of applause to the faculty chair and my mentor, Dr. Esteban Callas.”
A loud round of applause broke out.
When the clapping died down, Miguel launched into his prepared speech about the importance of supporting the arts and their relevance in society. Drawing on his own experience, he pointed out how as a youth, he’d gotten into and out of trouble. Esteban caught him defacing public property with graffiti one day. Instead of calling the police, he told him he had real talent. If he agreed to remove what he’d done, Esteban said he would show him how to create acceptable images.
Through his encouragement and guidance, Miguel developed a love of creating, rather than destroying. He discovered a love for sculpting, and Esteban funded his first few projects by providing him with sculpting tools and materials. The rest was history.
Tonight’s donations would be used to expand art programs in the area—to the benefit of those young people who wanted to pursue careers in art. The money raised would also help local agencies produce more events, shows, and exhibitions to the benefit of all of Cuenca ’s citizens.
“And so I encourage you to search within your hearts tonight as you consider your bids for these unique pieces from our future artists. Think about the impact each of your dollars will have in our city. Consider the importance of art in our lives—whether it is visual or performance art. Understand that it not only adds beauty to the world around us, but it helps to make us well rounded. It keeps us civilized, and separates us from other living things through the ability to create. Through art, we have a means by which we grow to be better people, and it moves us forward through creativity, the expansion of our imagination, and hope.
“Hope. An important element in dragging a teen out of self-destructive despair. Hope that there would be a better tomorrow, and a young man could live a better life than the one he’d grown used to.”
Deafening applause followed when he finished his speech.
Miguel stepped down from the stage and a woman took over to conduct the auction. A few minutes into talking to another guest, he noticed Thomas Hill slowly winding his way through the crowd, a worried expression on his face. Once or twice he stopped and stood on tiptoe, searching for someone.
Miguel excused himself from yet another conversation he’d barely been paying attention to and approached the older man.
“Mr. Hill, is everything all right?” His first thought was that something had happened to Samirah. Since descending the stage, he hadn’t seen her, though she’d been easy enough to spot in her red dress when he stood behind the podium.
Thomas Hill seemed surprised Miguel knew his name. “Yes, I mean no. I came here with a young woman—Samirah, but I don’t see her. We need to leave immediately. I left my wife alone, and it seems she hurt herself trying to move around without assistance, and now I must hurry home to see to her.” He clenched his hands together in worry. “I really, really must go.”
Miguel rested a reassuring hand on his arm. “Samirah and I met the other day, so I know who she is. You should go and see to your wife. When I see Samirah, I’ll explain to her what happened and make sure she gets home
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