--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The effort to create a work of art that…" description: "\"The effort to create a work of art that is true and potentially lasting, that is the very best work of art you can create at that point in your life - ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/claire-messud-1372_always_the-effort-to-create-a-work-of-art-that_1881613.jpg" --- # The effort to create a work of art that is true and… ![“The effort to create a work of art that is true and potentially lasting, that is the very best work of art you can create at that point in your life - a book that may only reach or move a few people but will seem to those people somehow transformative. That's the ideal; that's always the motivation.” quote by Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/claire-messud-1372_always_the-effort-to-create-a-work-of-art-that_1881613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/claire-messud-1372_always_the-effort-to-create-a-work-of-art-that_1881613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/913/claire-messud-1372_always_the-effort-to-create-a-work-of-art-that_1881613.jpg) > “The effort to create a work of art that is true and potentially lasting, that is the very best work of art you can create at that point in your life - a book that may only reach or move a few people but will seem to those people somehow transformative. That's the ideal; that's always the motivation.” [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating art that is authentic and possibly transformative, even for a few, represents the highest artistic achievement and fuels motivation. **In simple terms:** True art aims to transform, even for a small audience. Key Takeaway Focus on authenticity over mass appeal. Themes art authenticity legacy motivation creativity Mood inspired determined Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - writing a - painting - music composition - personal projects Key Concepts existentialism aesthetics psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does “transformative” mean to you? - How do you balance impact with personal well‑being? A Different Perspective The drive for impact can cause burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-create-251451/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Create Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-work-251452/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Few](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few/) [Few people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/few-people/) [Ideal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal/) [Ideal Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideal-motivation-1106989/) [Lasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasting/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Move](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/move/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point/) [Potentially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potentially/) [Reach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reach/) [Seem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seem/) [Somehow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somehow/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Transformative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformative/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-art/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [Popular success is a wonderful gift if it happens, but like money, it's not the motivation. The effort to create a work of art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/popular-success-is-a-wonderful-gift-if-it-happens-but-like-money-it-s/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [To create a work of art is to create the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wassily-kandinsky/to-create-a-work-of-art-is-to-create-the-world/) [Wassily Kandinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wassily-kandinsky/) > [Aereo is the first potentially transformative technology that has the chance to give people access to broadcast television delivered over the Internet to any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/aereo-is-the-first-potentially-transformative-technology-that-has-the/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [“If you can find no one to become your ideal to aspire to, no one to be your ultimate example, your idol, your motivation—…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/if-you-can-find-no-one-to-become-your-ideal-to-aspire-to-no-one-to-be/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [There is some other form that you contain within yourself that is not will or purpose and, when applied to art, serves you best.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-resnick/there-is-some-other-form-that-you-contain-within-yourself-that-is-not/) [Milton Resnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-resnick/) > [“Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/every-day-i-meet-people-who-have-so-much-to-give-but-have-been-2/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [You have to be very careful with the art you create and you put out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-graham/you-have-to-be-very-careful-with-the-art-you-create-and-you-put-out/) [Kat Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-graham/) > [With music and art, I can create the kind of world in which I wish to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-curiale/with-music-and-art-i-can-create-the-kind-of-world-in-which-i-wish-to/) [Joseph Curiale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-curiale/) > [It's a blessing to have people who love the art that you make and who are inspired by the art you create and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ramos/it-s-a-blessing-to-have-people-who-love-the-art-that-you-make-and-who/) [Anthony Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ramos/) > [Art should create an experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-fischl/art-should-create-an-experience/) [Eric Fischl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-fischl/) > [Through art, you create your own world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-guinness/through-art-you-create-your-own-world/) [Daphne Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-guinness/) > [“Art is the process of relationship. Through art we create and share ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-allison/art-is-the-process-of-relationship-through-art-we-create-and-share/) [Destiny Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny-allison/) > [Your life can become the background for the art you create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/your-life-can-become-the-background-for-the-art-you-create/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [That's what art is about: to create dialogue. Everybody deserves to have their own opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tierra-whack/that-s-what-art-is-about-to-create-dialogue-everybody-deserves-to/) [Tierra Whack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tierra-whack/) > [The aim of art is to create space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/the-aim-of-art-is-to-create-space/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) ## More by Claire Messud > [I'd wish for my work to be remembered rather than myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-d-wish-for-my-work-to-be-remembered-rather-than-myself/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I have said it somewhere - our literary lived lives are as important as our literally lived lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-have-said-it-somewhere-our-literary-lived-lives-are-as-important-as/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Life is about deciding what matters. It’s about the fantasy that determines the reality. Have you ever asked yourself whether you’d rather fly or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-is-about-deciding-what-matters-it-s-about-the-fantasy-that/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [Life's funny. You have to find a way to keep going, to keep laughing, even after you realize that none of your dreams will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/life-s-funny-you-have-to-find-a-way-to-keep-going-to-keep-laughing/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [It's the strangest thing about being human: to know so much, to communicate so much, and yet always to fall so drastically short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-s-the-strangest-thing-about-being-human-to-know-so-much-to/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [The fictional narratives that television, film, and the news provide for girls and young women are appalling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/the-fictional-narratives-that-television-film-and-the-news-provide/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“I don't want to sleep,' my mother said. 'I want -- for God's sake, I want to wake up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-don-t-want-to-sleep-my-mother-said-i-want-for-god-s-sake-i-want-to/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“It was supposed to say “Great Artist” on my tombstone, but if I died right now it would say “such a good teacher/​daughter/​friend” instead;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-was-supposed-to-say-great-artist-on-my-tombstone-but-if-i-died/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Live, my dear Nora. Satisfy your hunger. There's food all around you, you know.' 'What kind of food, I'd like to know?' 'Ah'-he smiled-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/live-my-dear-nora-satisfy-your-hunger-there-s-food-all-around-you-you/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [I digress a lot - it's how I experience the world. I would like to write in a way that will convey that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-digress-a-lot-it-s-how-i-experience-the-world-i-would-like-to-write/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [We think that - as kids, you know - that kids make up stories and live in a sort of fictional place, but that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/we-think-that-as-kids-you-know-that-kids-make-up-stories-and-live-in/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“It makes sense that if you stand almost daily in the middle of a perfect crescent of shore, with a vista open to eternity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/it-makes-sense-that-if-you-stand-almost-daily-in-the-middle-of-a/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“Once aware of my isolation, I was afraid not of it but of its interruption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/once-aware-of-my-isolation-i-was-afraid-not-of-it-but-of-its/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“who I am in my head, very few people really get to see that. Almost none. It’s the most precious gift I can give,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/who-i-am-in-my-head-very-few-people-really-get-to-see-that-almost/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [“My everyday Appleton life, my phones calls to my father, my occasional beers with friends, my Saturday-morning jobs around the reservoir - what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/my-everyday-appleton-life-my-phones-calls-to-my-father-my-occasional/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) [Explore all 249 Claire Messud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The effort to create a work of art that is true and potentially lasting, that is the very best work of art you can create at that point in your life - a book that may only reach or move a few people but will seem to those people somehow transformative. 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