We lived on 82nd Street and the Metropolitan Museum was my…
““We lived on 82nd Street and the Metropolitan Museum was my short cut to Central Park. I wrote: "I go into the museum and look at all the pictures on the walls. Instead of feeling my own insignificance I want to go straight home and paint." A great painting, or symphony, or play, doesn't diminish us, but enlarges us, and we, too, want to make our own cry of affirmation to the power of creation behind the universe. This surge of creativity has nothing to do with competition, or degree of talent. When I hear a superb pianist, I can't wait to get to my own piano, and I play about as well now as I did when I was ten. A great novel, rather than discouraging me, simply makes me want to write. This response on the part of any artist is the need to make incarnate the new awareness we have been granted through the genius of someone else.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Encountering great art sparks a personal drive to create, expanding one's sense of possibility rather than diminishing it.
In simple terms: Great art inspires us to create.
Key Takeaway
Let inspiration fuel your own work.
Themes
creativity
inspiration
self‑growth
Mood
uplifting
reflective
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- visiting museums
- listening to music
- reading literature
- watching performances
Key Concepts
artistic influence
affirmation
growth mindset
Questions to Reflect On
- How does another's masterpiece change your creative goals?
- What barriers arise when you try to emulate inspiration?
A Different Perspective
If you lack skill, inspiration may feel intimidating.