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Art Quote by Dorothy Day

“Now don't think I've lost my mind - but I'll tell you, I'll look at some of the cards I have, some of Van Gogh's pictures of the poor, the coal miners, or Daumier's, and I talk to those pictures! I look, and I speak. I get strength form the way those writers and artists portrayed the poor, that's…” quote by Dorothy Day
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““Now don't think I've lost my mind - but I'll tell you, I'll look at some of the cards I have, some of Van Gogh's pictures of the poor, the coal miners, or Daumier's, and I talk to those pictures! I look, and I speak. I get strength form the way those writers and artists portrayed the poor, that's how I've kept going all these years. I pray to God and go visit him in churches; and I have my conversational time with Van Gogh or with Dickens - I mean, I'll look at a painting reproduced on a postcard, that I use as a bookmark, or I read one of those underlined pages in one of my old books, and Lord, I've got my strength to get through the morning or afternoon! When I die, I hope people will say that I tried to be mindful of what Jesus told us - his wonderful stories - and I tried my best to live up to his example (we fall flat on our faces all the time, though!) and I tried to take those artists and novelists to heart, and live up to their wisdom (a lot of it came from Jesus, as you probably know, because Dickens and Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy kept thinking of Jesus themselves all through their lives).””

Dorothy Day

About This Quote

Finding resilience through art and literature, seeing them as companions that provide spiritual and emotional sustenance.

In simple terms: Art and faith as sources of strength.

Key Takeaway

Creative works can be lifelines.

Themes

Resilience Spirituality Artistic Inspiration Compassion Literature

Mood

Hopeful Reflective Determined

Type

Spiritual Inspirational Personal

When to use this quote

  • Coping with hardship
  • Seeking comfort during illness
  • Finding purpose in daily routine
  • Navigating moral doubt
  • Seeking communal solidarity

Key Concepts

Narrative Therapy Iconic Imagery Empathy Moral Reflection

Practical Applications

  • Therapeutic journaling with art references
  • Using literature in pastoral care

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can personal narratives transform suffering into purpose?
  • What role does artistic empathy play in moral development?
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