Jane’s critique was surprisingly accurate, pinpointing the exact issues at hand with just one glance. This statement made everyone take notice of her and once again affirm Jane’s abilities.
After the competition, Jane held her head up and yawned. She couldn’t believe that critiquing was more exhausting than actually competing; it was something she couldn’t do again. With a lazy stretch, Jane returned to the hotel where the carving competition was being held.
Looking at the clock on the wall, she realized there were still two days left until the final round of competition. During these two days, she needed to rest and recharge as last time she only placed third; this time around, she had to give it her all!
Two days later, the final round of competition officially began. Jane and other contestants arrived at the venue where hundreds of spectators sat below them as before but this time around things were different: they had to create works within a specific theme set by organizers.
In this way, it greatly limited the participants’ imaginative ideas, and on another level, if two people’s works were similar, they would definitely be eliminated by the public.
This undoubtedly posed a new challenge for everyone, but Jane remained calm. Several people entered the tables prepared by the production team in advance and put on transparent soundproof walls for each person. This way, the audience could see the entire process of creation without affecting the contestants.
Jane entered the soundproof wall, took a deep breath, and noticed that the wood block this time was different from the previous material. They used better paulownia wood, and a complete set of carving knives was placed on the table.
Soon, the big screen displayed the theme of this competition: “Eternity.”
Jane frowned. Eternity? This was an abstract intention, and now they had to carve it out, undoubtedly increasing the difficulty.
The contestants fell into contemplation, and after a long time, they drew their own “eternity” on the draft paper.
Jane quickly had an idea in her mind, picked up a pencil, and sketched on the paper, stroke by stroke.
Time passed by minute by minute, and the contestants had already started carving the wood blocks. Only Jane remained focused, drawing her sketches.
This undoubtedly made everyone’s hearts race, and those watching the live broadcast on TV were also nervous for Jane.
After all, the artwork Jane presented last time caught people’s attention at first glance. Although she did not win first place, it was enough to show her skill.
Jane continued to sketch calmly, without any signs of nervousness. She remained focused and dedicated to her work.
Soon, she finished sketching on the paper and began carving on the wood block with the carving knife, piece by piece.
While others were halfway through their carvings, Jane had just begun. Many people who had high hopes for Jane started to lose hope.
However, Jane remained calm and composed. The carving knife in her hand seemed to come alive. She swept back and forth, and a contour appeared before everyone’s eyes.
This made everyone appreciate Jane’s skills even more. In a short period, she accomplished something that few could achieve and presented an exquisite artwork.
Time passed quickly, and the people around were about to finish their works. In contrast, Jane’s work was still halfway done.
“Ding-”
After half an hour, a bell rang, indicating the end of the competition.
In contrast, Jane’s carved piece remained incomplete.
This undoubtedly made everyone laugh at her. It seemed that Jane’s skill was not as impressive as they thought.
Next, it was time for the host to introduce the completed works. The host held a microphone and approached one of the contestants.
The first contestant had carved a heart, and on top of the heart, there were many small decorations.
“I believe that love is eternal, so I carved a heart, and on top of it…”
The contestants continued to introduce their works passionately. After their explanations, the host nodded and provided comments on the pieces before moving on to the next contestant.
The second participant had carved a musical note, and as the host continued, they noticed that several contestants had created similar works. It seemed that the selection for this competition would be difficult.
After all, eternity represented many different things, and when it came to carving, there might not be as many options to choose from.
The judges remained expressionless, indicating that no one had satisfied them yet.
Finally, the host approached Jane and looked at her unfinished piece, pondering. “Ms. North, how would you explain this?”
Jane, still composed, pointed at her half-finished human-animal mask in front of her. “This is my work.”
The host fell silent, unsure of how to evaluate it.
He turned his head and noticed the sketch on Jane’s desk, his eyes narrowing. “Your sketch is also half-drawn?”
“Yes,” Jane nodded. “I believe a person’s imagination is limitless and exists in their mind, making it eternal.”
Jane explained, and her words made everyone suddenly realize. “As you can see, it’s a human-animal mask, but it’s not fully carved. You might wonder if it’s crying or happy, and that’s each person’s interpretation. It will forever exist in everyone’s mind. This is eternity.”
Her words resonated with everyone, eliciting applause from the audience.
Even the host couldn’t help but applaud her. “Well said, Ms. North.”
He looked at Jane’s work and couldn’t help but marvel. “Ms. North’s technique is truly unmatched. Every stroke is precisely placed.”
The judges in the audience exchanged smiles, expressing their satisfaction.
Then it was time for the evaluation. This time, the audience and the judges would vote together using their voting devices.
After ten minutes, the voting ended, and the names of several contestants appeared on the big screen, with the rankings yet to be revealed.
“I’m sure everyone has their own top pick in mind. Now, we will determine the winner of this competition, and she is… Ms. North!”
This announcement sparked applause from the entire audience.
Jane smiled gracefully, despite the wood chips still lingering on her hands, maintaining her dignified demeanor.
Her every expression attracted the attention of many male viewers, and in the end, the judges awarded her the first-place prize.
Jane held the trophy, looked at the camera, and cracked a sweet smile.
Finally, with her exceptional skills and innovative ideas, Jane secured first place, and news of her victory quickly spread back to her home country.