<B>Patricia ESNOUF</B>

She has just won the Malcom de Chazal Foundation prize for an atypical sculpture of the great artist. But Patricia Esnouf?s talent for the arts cannot be seen in isolation from her generosity. At the head of the Craft academy in Quatre-Bornes, she works with school drop-outs, transforming ?failure thinking? into ?creative thinking?.

Patricia Esnouf has lived in Mauritius for 20 years. She has been dedicated to her field, education for ?drop-outs?for twice this period. Since 1998, she has been closely associated with the Craft Academy in Quatre-Bornes, as director and trainer, attentive to the needs of teenagers who have failed in the academic sphere. Meeting her is like an encounter with some kind of evergreen spirit : fresh, kind, alert, with a strong will.

Her first reaction is to point out the term ?failure?. ?This is the word that is in the heads of the youngsters when they arrive here. Because the academic circuit has rejected them.? The task of the Craft academy is to change this downgrading expression into ?trust? in their minds. ?We welcome them with a little exercise, asking them to tell us what is in their name.? The approach is simple but most effective: it favours their creative richness and rehabilitates them as intelligent persons.

This is the basis of the alternative education the center promotes. And it can be resumed as ?creative thinking?. ?People most of the time only learn to trust the capacities that are found in the left side of the brain, from which they can tackle logical, mathematical or linguistic issues. Too little importance has been given to the other side of the brain, where emotions, artistic potential or intuition reside. This tendency is dominant in standard education.?

The answer of the Craft Academy to those younsters who ?were attending the courses but were not at school in their minds? is to teach them to regain confidence from their creative potential. Most important to Patricia Esnouf is that, while developing their talents, they learn a skill for a living.

The original pots with oriental patterns, the gently curved ash-trays, the striking figurines displayed in the small showroom at the Craft Academy speak for themselves and are the true rewards. ?I only hope we will be able to purchase the building where we have settled, to be able to present these objects more effectively.?

Patricia Esnouf is very proud of these creations: ?This is art?. She does not only preach for others. All that relates to the imagination seems fruitful to her too. This was obvious to the jury of the Malcom de Chazal foundation, which gave her a prize for a red clay scupture of the author of Sens Plastique, who was also a painter. ?I met Malcom once. This encounter struck me. In my sculpture, I tried to reflect my impression of Malcolm: his eyes, which spoke of all his wit, his mouth working. His secret character lay in these traits. So a mask seemed more appropriate.?

Such originality is not surprising on the part of someone who has the gift of dealing with the essence of beings ?and the skill to make them come to life.

<B>Jake NICHOLSON</B>