Chapter 63 Don't Leave!
But Amelia couldn't be bothered to waste words on Niamh.
"I'm busy. I don't have time to waste here with you."
With that, she was about to leave with Jeremy.
She had come to the main exhibition hall to find Geraldo. Since she hadn't found him yet, she had no time to engage in a war of words with Niamh.
Even if she wanted to point out Geraldo's problems, she would say it to his face, not to these irrelevant people.
However, Amelia's reaction only made Niamh more certain of her guess.
That is,
Amelia knew nothing about art at all!
Yet here she was, pretending to know what she was talking about and insulting Geraldo's paintings.
She probably didn't even know who Geraldo was.
Seeing Amelia about to leave, Niamh certainly wouldn't pass up the chance to mock her.
She grabbed Amelia's arm and said loudly, "You're not leaving until you explain yourself and apologize for your ignorance!"
Amelia's eyes narrowed. Just as she was about to pull her hand back, Jeremy acted first, yanking away Niamh's hand that was gripping Amelia's arm.
"Don't be disrespectful to Ms. Richardson!"
Jeremy hadn't gone into The Richardson Manor with Samuel that day, so Niamh didn't recognize him.
She just assumed Jeremy was a bodyguard Amelia had brought along, and her face showed obvious displeasure.
"What are you? How dare you touch me?"
"I am—"
Jeremy was about to speak when suddenly there was a commotion in the crowd.
"It's Mr. McGinnis!"
"Mr. McGinnis is here!"
Niamh's face lit up. She quickly looked in the direction everyone was staring and indeed saw Geraldo appearing at the back of the crowd.
Soon, the crowd surrounded Geraldo.
Most of the people here today loved oil paintings, and in Phoenicia's oil painting world, Geraldo was one of the leading figures.
Niamh couldn't care less about Jeremy, a mere bodyguard. She rushed forward and said loudly, "Mr. McGinnis! Someone here is slandering you and your paintings!"
Geraldo's brow furrowed slightly.
He could accept criticism, but not baseless slander.
"Who is it?"
"It's her!"
Niamh pointed in Amelia's direction.
But Jeremy's height blocked Amelia's face, so they could only see it was a slender young woman.
"Oh, it's just a girl. Forget it, I won't argue with a young girl."
Geraldo was about to leave when Amelia spoke up.
"Your paintings have indeed declined significantly!"
Geraldo's expression darkened.
Because Amelia hadn't contacted him in so long, he didn't immediately recognize her voice, but her words "declined significantly" piqued his curiosity.
"Is that so? May I ask what you mean by that?"
Niamh turned to Amelia: "Mr. McGinnis is asking you a question. Say something! Does someone who knows nothing have the right to comment on Mr. McGinnis's paintings?"
From Amelia's angle, she could see Geraldo's face.
Two years had passed, and Geraldo had aged considerably.
Given his age, she didn't want to say it in front of so many people. She still needed to show him some respect.
"Let me tell you privately."
Niamh sneered, "You clearly can't explain anything. Stop pretending!"
Geraldo also said, "Miss, I, Geraldo, can accept criticism and welcome suggestions from anyone. No need to speak privately, just say it directly!"
Since Geraldo himself said so, Amelia spoke up.
"Take this landscape oil painting of yours, for example. This was painted recently, right?"
Geraldo nodded. "That's right. This is one of my best works from last month. What's your opinion?"
Amelia happened to be standing in front of that painting.
Her eyes were sharp as she stared at the painting and slowly began—
"At first glance, this painting is indeed grand and imposing. Below the swirling clouds and mist are layered mountain ranges, with flowing water at the foot of the mountains, effectively showing the majesty of the mountains. But—"
She changed her tone: "But while the brushwork of these rocks is strong and powerful, it lacks some natural charm."
As she spoke, she pointed to a corner of the rocks in the painting and said, "These lines are too deliberate. It's as if you forcibly emphasized the brushstrokes to pursue a sense of power, but instead lost the roughness and spontaneity that rocks should have."
Geraldo's expression stiffened slightly.
Seeing this, Niamh was about to scold Amelia for having no aesthetic sense, but Geraldo stopped her with a look.
"Let her continue!"
He had just carefully looked at the spot Amelia pointed out, and indeed there was the problem she mentioned.
He really wanted to hear what other insights she had.
Niamh had no choice but to shut her mouth.
Amelia continued: "And here, these ripples seem winding and meandering, but if you look carefully, you'll see the brushstrokes are too deliberate. You calculated carefully, but forgot that natural flowing water is inherently unrestrained, not confined within some framework like it is now."
With each sentence Amelia spoke, the onlookers' faces grew darker.
It wasn't that they couldn't accept criticism of Geraldo's paintings, but the fact that the person criticizing him was Amelia, whom they had scorned from the start, made them uncomfortable.
"What do you know? Paintings are supposed to be carefully designed."
"Exactly! Mr. McGinnis, don't listen to her. She doesn't understand anything."
"That's right, Mr. McGinnis. I'm your loyal fan. You don't need to listen to her nonsense."
But Geraldo ignored them and told Amelia to continue.
Having reached his current position, no one dared to criticize his paintings anymore.
People who dared to criticize him like this and give sincere suggestions were few and far between.
Apart from this young woman before him, there was only his teacher.
He was pleased that there was someone in this world besides his teacher who could give him suggestions.
Amelia raised an eyebrow and continued: "And this mist—to achieve an ethereal quality, you made the clouds and mist too dense and heavy."
"But clouds and mist should be faint and elusive, not like now, as if you deliberately smeared the mist on."
At these words, the crowd grew even more indignant on Geraldo's behalf.
You see, this painting was called "Mountain Mist."
Without the mist, how could there be "Mountain Mist"?
This "Mountain Mist" was placed in the most prominent position in the main exhibition hall, which was proof enough that even the people at the Crawford Group thought this painting was very valuable.
"Where did this country bumpkin come from? What right do you have to criticize Mr. McGinnis's paintings!"
"Talking nonsense, absolutely incomprehensible!"
"Exactly!"
When Niamh saw Amelia speaking so confidently, she felt very uncomfortable.
Seeing everyone criticizing her, she quickly chimed in: "You're from the countryside—what do you know about oil paintings, about landscape oil paintings?"
"Enough!" Geraldo suddenly scolded with a dark expression.
Niamh realized Geraldo was glaring at her and was immediately startled.
She quickly explained, "Mr. McGinnis, I was speaking up for you."
"I know you were speaking up for me, but what this lady said is very right."
Niamh's eyes widened in disbelief.
Very right?
Geraldo wasn't angry?
As a master in the oil painting world, he was a legendary figure.
How could he tolerate being criticized by a country bumpkin?
"Mr. McGinnis, you...?"
But Geraldo ignored her, pushed through the crowd in front of him, and walked toward Amelia.