--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was one painting, I remember, that…" description: "\"“There was one painting, I remember, that showed a broad, clean sweep of sky and the ocean drawn out to the horizon, and the sand littered with seashel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-oliver-109_alex_there-was-one-painting-i-remember-that-s_2930954.jpg" --- # There was one painting, I remember, that showed a broad… ![“There was one painting, I remember, that showed a broad, clean sweep of sky and the ocean drawn out to the horizon, and the sand littered with seashells and crabs and mermaid's purses and bits of seaweed. A boy and girl were standing four feet apart, not facing each other, not acknowledging each…” quote by lauren oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-oliver-109_alex_there-was-one-painting-i-remember-that-s_2930954.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-oliver-109_alex_there-was-one-painting-i-remember-that-s_2930954.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/780/lauren-oliver-109_alex_there-was-one-painting-i-remember-that-s_2930954.jpg) > ““There was one painting, I remember, that showed a broad, clean sweep of sky and the ocean drawn out to the horizon, and the sand littered with seashells and crabs and mermaid's purses and bits of seaweed. A boy and girl were standing four feet apart, not facing each other, not acknowledging each other in any way, just standing,looking out at the water. I always liked that painting. I liked to think they had a secret.”” [lauren oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A painting shows two children apart, hinting at an unspoken connection. **In simple terms:** Children stand apart, suggesting a hidden bond. Key Takeaway Notice subtle cues of connection. Themes art relationships communication Mood contemplative poetic Type narrative descriptive When to use this quote - education - family dynamics - creative writing Key Concepts visual metaphor emotional distance Questions to Reflect On - What does the distance symbolize? - How might the secret affect the viewers? A Different Perspective Interpretation may vary widely. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Seashells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seashells/) ## Related quotes > [“I cannot remember a single painting, although I do remember trying hard to be deeply impressed by them at the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/i-cannot-remember-a-single-painting-although-i-do-remember-trying/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [The reaction was immediate. The blood flow was in proportion to how much the painting was liked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/the-reaction-was-immediate-the-blood-flow-was-in-proportion-to-how/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [I liked painting, very early on, even more than drawing. I used poster paint on posterboard. I would copy images that I liked from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ryden/i-liked-painting-very-early-on-even-more-than-drawing-i-used-poster/) [Mark Ryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ryden/) > [I liked painting and drawing, and I liked humanities mainly - poetry, literature - this speculative attitude toward life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-moneo/i-liked-painting-and-drawing-and-i-liked-humanities-mainly-poetry/) [Rafael Moneo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-moneo/) > [“Kimme and Dan joined us as they returned from their stroll along the beach. “Look what I found,” Kimme announced as she dumped a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-s-ruff/kimme-and-dan-joined-us-as-they-returned-from-their-stroll-along-the/) [K.S. Ruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-s-ruff/) > [Beach Rules: Soak up the sun. Ride the waves. Breathe the salty air. Feel the breeze. Build sandcastles. Rest, relax, reflect. Collect seashells. Bare-feet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beach-rules-soak-up-the-sun-ride-the-waves-breathe-the-salty-air-feel/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He circles the shrines, scanning each of them. There's one made in exclusively soft shades of pink, with a bouquet of blush roses at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-krystle/he-circles-the-shrines-scanning-each-of-them-there-s-one-made-in/) [Kiana Krystle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-krystle/) > [I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world... perhaps you've seen it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-have-the-world-s-largest-collection-of-seashells-i-keep-it-on-all/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [“Someday I will pick up shells of every colour And probably even rob the sea of its wonder Yet I won't find a single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/someday-i-will-pick-up-shells-of-every-colour-and-probably-even-rob/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [“In addition there is the fact that this girl's application in drawing seashells denotes in her a search for formal perfection which the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/in-addition-there-is-the-fact-that-this-girl-s-application-in-drawing/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [“She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sells are surely seashells. So if she sells shells on the seashore, I'm sure she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riley-weber/she-sells-seashells-by-the-seashore-the-shells-she-sells-are-surely/) [Riley Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riley-weber/) > [Seashells remind us that every passing life leaves something beautiful behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seashells-remind-us-that-every-passing-life-leaves-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't take anything too literally. When throwing a coastal theme dinner, don't just put seashells on the table. Instead, think about the colors and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremiah-brent/don-t-take-anything-too-literally-when-throwing-a-coastal-theme/) [Jeremiah Brent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremiah-brent/) > [“I made a necklace out of seashells, but I lost it at the beach. I don’t think I’ll ever find it again, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-made-a-necklace-out-of-seashells-but-i-lost-it-at-the-beach-i-don-t/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [My wife... its difficult to say what she does... she sells seashells on the seashore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-jones/my-wife-its-difficult-to-say-what-she-does-she-sells-seashells-on-the/) [Milton Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-jones/) ## More by lauren oliver > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [This is what happens when you try to help people. You get screwed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/this-is-what-happens-when-you-try-to-help-people-you-get-screwed/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [We'll walk together holding hands, and kiss in broad daylight, and love each other as much as we want to, and no one will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/we-ll-walk-together-holding-hands-and-kiss-in-broad-daylight-and-love/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“At least when I'm sleeping I can dream myself back to Alex, can dream myself into a different world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/at-least-when-i-m-sleeping-i-can-dream-myself-back-to-alex-can-dream/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Summer explodes into Portland. In early June the heat was there but not the color--the green were still pale and tentative, the morning had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/summer-explodes-into-portland-in-early-june-the-heat-was-there-but/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Mistake, mistake, mistake. A strange word: stinging, somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/mistake-mistake-mistake-a-strange-word-stinging-somehow/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I wonder if it's ever really possible to know the truth about someone else, or if the best we can do is just stumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-wonder-if-it-s-ever-really-possible-to-know-the-truth-about-someone/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Julian is somewhere among those lights, in that blur of people and buildings. I wonder whether he's scared. I wonder whether he's thinking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/julian-is-somewhere-among-those-lights-in-that-blur-of-people-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [A room full of words that are nearly the truth but not quite, each note fluttering off the steam of its rose like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/a-room-full-of-words-that-are-nearly-the-truth-but-not-quite-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“She’s the kind of person who makes you feel drunk just by being around her, like suddenly the world’s edges are dulled and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/she-s-the-kind-of-person-who-makes-you-feel-drunk-just-by-being/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Stop!” His voice rings out sharply, hard as a slap. He releases me and I stumble backward. “Alex is dead, do you hear me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/stop-his-voice-rings-out-sharply-hard-as-a-slap-he-releases-me-and-i/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [..in that moment i realize how much i love the little everyday routines of my life..the details that are my life's special pattern, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/in-that-moment-i-realize-how-much-i-love-the-little-everyday-routines/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“You can't judge a book by its steel-toed combat boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-steel-toed-combat-boots/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) [Explore all 1,181 lauren oliver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) ## More Alex quotes > [“I may be the one leaving, but you’re the one giving up everything and walking away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loni-flowers/i-may-be-the-one-leaving-but-you-re-the-one-giving-up-everything-and/) [Loni Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loni-flowers/) > [“At least when I'm sleeping I can dream myself back to Alex, can dream myself into a different world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/at-least-when-i-m-sleeping-i-can-dream-myself-back-to-alex-can-dream/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I am actually working on The Neighbors sitcom. We are starting from scratch. I am also working on a comedy movie and a vampire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-wiseau/i-am-actually-working-on-the-neighbors-sitcom-we-are-starting-from/) [Tommy Wiseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-wiseau/) > [“Something’s up,’ I say, handing the phone back. ‘Not necessarily,’ Jack says. ‘You think this is the first time Lila’s been hot-headed? Seriously, dude,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alderson/something-s-up-i-say-handing-the-phone-back-not-necessarily-jack-says/) [Sarah Alderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alderson/) > [Alex: Rosie, I wanted you to be the first person to no that I’ve decided to become a heart surgeon! Rosie: Cool, does it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/alex-rosie-i-wanted-you-to-be-the-first-person-to-no-that-i-ve/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [“I breathed in the memory of his lips, the softness of them, and how they felt tracing across my skin, leaving ripples of goosebumps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alderson/i-breathed-in-the-memory-of-his-lips-the-softness-of-them-and-how/) [Sarah Alderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alderson/) > [ I remember having some problems with \[the Deus Ex theme\] when I first heard it and I was trying to figure out how to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-spector/i-remember-having-some-problems-with-the-deus-ex-theme-when-i-first/) [Warren Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-spector/) > [You knew where you stood with Sir Alex Ferguson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-scholes/you-knew-where-you-stood-with-sir-alex-ferguson/) [Paul Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-scholes/) > [“Welcome home, Soldier of Furnace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/welcome-home-soldier-of-furnace/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“It’s not great. What kind of connection is this? A one-way hotline to Pervyville?” I took a step forward, on a roll now. “It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/it-s-not-great-what-kind-of-connection-is-this-a-one-way-hotline-to/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [He read a lot. He used a lot of big words. 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