The art of war

Pencil drawing inspired by story of grandfather

SW View--Angelique Prandecki looks at her art work at Durango High School, Friday, Feb. 25, 2005.--View Photo Christine H. Wetzel

It's Poland in the midst of World War II. Jacek Prandecki is taken from his home to a camp in Siberia, then to another camp in Germany.

He's starving and nearly dead when he hears German soldiers proclaim, "Run! Run! The Americans are coming!"

"And he knew he was saved," said Angelique Prandecki, his granddaughter.

Years later, the senior at Durango High School portrayed her grandfather's story in a piece she created for The Chapel of the Four Chaplains nationwide art contest. The pencil drawing is of an American soldier holding a Polish child during the liberation.

The organization, located in Philadelphia, chose Prandecki's piece as the top winner in this year's contest and awarded her a $1,000 scholarship. In February, Angelique and her mother traveled to Philadelphia to claim her award.

"I drew it the last night," said Prandecki, 18. "I stayed up all night. I didn't sleep. I went to school and finished it."

"She focused. She figured out what she wanted. Angelique took care of it all," said Linda Guiffreda-Baker, her art teacher. "I knew her piece was really strong. I knew she had a great shot at being one of the top winners."

The consummate student, Prandecki visited St. Joseph's University while on her award-winning trip. She plans to study international business and communications with the intent on some day going to law school after she graduates in June.

She recently returned from Switzerland, where she was scoping out Webster University as well.

"I love law. Every history class, every debate, I win. It's something I love doing. I love debating. I love arguing with people," Prandecki said. "(Art) is something I love doing. When I start, I can't stop. It's a hobby. (But) I don't see myself sitting at a desk, drawing."

Although art isn't at the forefront of her career choices, Prandecki can't imagine her life without it. She was a fifth-grader in Poland when her father enrolled her in a private art class. There, she sketched her first nude. She abruptly quit after only a few lessons, because she didn't agree with the instructor's teaching style.

"I don't like when people tell me how to draw," she said. "I like to do my own drawing."

Prandecki was an award-winning childhood ice skater, and trained with Frank Carroll, Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan's coach. But a knee injury benched her before her career could skyrocket.

Art was the constant in her life when things were inconsistent.

"I kept winning, winning, winning, but I grew too much, and I got a knee injury," she said. "Throughout all this, I was drawing. That was my life -- ice skating and drawing."

Her father, Paul Prandecki, was a Polish businessman working in Las Vegas when he met Angelique's mother, Iga, who was visiting the city as Miss Paris. Angelique and her brothers, Frideric, 17, and Alex, 11, were born in Las Vegas but travel with their parents worldwide.

The family owns the Monaco Wedding Chapel, while Angelique's grandmother Teresa Kaluzna owns the neighboring Hitching Post Wedding Chapel on Las Vegas Boulevard.

When Prandecki isn't working at her part-time job, exercising, studying or traveling, she helps her family with the business of uniting people in holy matrimony.

"Since we own it, I have to know what's going on," she said.

Her family is close, which makes her decision for college a tough one.

"Leaving ... I don't know how I'm going to do that," she said.