--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A huge cloud of dust is not a beautiful…" description: "\"“A huge cloud of dust is not a beautiful thing to look at. Very few painters have done portraits of huge clouds of dust or included them in their lands..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae0/lemony-snicket-663_beauty_a-huge-cloud-of-dust-is-not-a-beautiful_1761944.jpg" --- # A huge cloud of dust is not a beautiful thing to look at… ![“A huge cloud of dust is not a beautiful thing to look at. Very few painters have done portraits of huge clouds of dust or included them in their landscapes or still lifes. Film directors rarely choose huge clouds of dust to play the lead roles in romantic comedies, and as far as my research has…” quote by Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae0/lemony-snicket-663_beauty_a-huge-cloud-of-dust-is-not-a-beautiful_1761944.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae0/lemony-snicket-663_beauty_a-huge-cloud-of-dust-is-not-a-beautiful_1761944.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae0/lemony-snicket-663_beauty_a-huge-cloud-of-dust-is-not-a-beautiful_1761944.jpg) > ““A huge cloud of dust is not a beautiful thing to look at. Very few painters have done portraits of huge clouds of dust or included them in their landscapes or still lifes. Film directors rarely choose huge clouds of dust to play the lead roles in romantic comedies, and as far as my research has shown, a huge cloud of dust has never placed higher than twenty-fifth in a beauty pageant. Nevertheless, as the Baudelaire orphans stumbled around the cell, dropped each half of the battering ram and listening to the sound of crows flying in circles outside, they stared at the huge cloud of dust as if it were a thing of great beauty.”” [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even mundane, unattractive details can become beautiful when observed with imagination and context. **In simple terms:** Find beauty in the ordinary. Key Takeaway Look deeper at the mundane. Themes beauty perception creativity Mood reflective playful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - art criticism - writing workshops - photography projects Key Concepts aesthetics subjectivity storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What everyday object could you view as beautiful? - How does context change perception? A Different Perspective Not everyone sees beauty in the same things. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Beauty pageant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty-pageant/) ## Related quotes > [“The only sign of war was a cloud of dust migrating from east to west. It looked through the windows, trying to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-only-sign-of-war-was-a-cloud-of-dust-migrating-from-east-to-west/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I loved playing in the Big Ten, where it's three yards and a cloud of dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-borland/i-loved-playing-in-the-big-ten-where-it-s-three-yards-and-a-cloud-of/) [Chris Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-borland/) > [Gather out of star-dust, Earth-dust, Cloud-dust, Storm-dust, And splinters of hail, One handful of dream-dust, Not for sale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/gather-out-of-star-dust-earth-dust-cloud-dust-storm-dust-and/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“All of a sudden Yutaka realized he had created a cloud of dust all around him. Oh no! No! This sucks. This blows more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koushun-takami/all-of-a-sudden-yutaka-realized-he-had-created-a-cloud-of-dust-all/) [Koushun Takami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koushun-takami/) > [“The varicolored cloud dust that the sun has stirred up in the sky was settling by slow degrees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zora-neale-hurston/the-varicolored-cloud-dust-that-the-sun-has-stirred-up-in-the-sky-was/) [Zora Neale Hurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zora-neale-hurston/) > [Nelson Mandela had been freed and I had a feeling in my heart from God that a black would win. (Carole Gist, Miss USA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-gist/nelson-mandela-had-been-freed-and-i-had-a-feeling-in-my-heart-from/) Carole Gist > [I do an international beauty pageant called Queen of the Universe for UNESCO, and what we do is we build kindergartens around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-giraud/i-do-an-international-beauty-pageant-called-queen-of-the-universe-for/) [Joyce Giraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-giraud/) > [I'm only wanted by directors for the image I give off, and it makes me angry. I always wanted to be an actor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-law/i-m-only-wanted-by-directors-for-the-image-i-give-off-and-it-makes-me/) [Jude Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-law/) > [I consider myself to be blessed. I have a family that is a mix of different religions and different ethnicities. I hope everyone can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rima-fakih/i-consider-myself-to-be-blessed-i-have-a-family-that-is-a-mix-of/) [Rima Fakih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rima-fakih/) > [I felt like I was not a cute kid, and I remember seeing people transform. It was actually when my sister was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huda-kattan/i-felt-like-i-was-not-a-cute-kid-and-i-remember-seeing-people/) [Huda Kattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huda-kattan/) > [Putting your child into a beauty pageant is a disgrace...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/putting-your-child-into-a-beauty-pageant-is-a-disgrace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you've ever noticed, beauty pageants are a lot like county fairs. The farmers show the cows the same way. They walk their prized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/if-you-ve-ever-noticed-beauty-pageants-are-a-lot-like-county-fairs/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [Just about every town in Texas has a beauty pageant. Ours was called The Dogwood Fiesta. I was in one of those. I played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sissy-spacek/just-about-every-town-in-texas-has-a-beauty-pageant-ours-was-called/) [Sissy Spacek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sissy-spacek/) > [“Certain things are expected of you when you’re a demon. Take the grotesque bodies, for example. Powerful, lethal, but definitely not beauty pageant material.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-blake/certain-things-are-expected-of-you-when-you-re-a-demon-take-the/) Samantha Blake > [The cardinal rule for hosting the Miss USA and Miss Universe beauty pageants is to expect the unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barker/the-cardinal-rule-for-hosting-the-miss-usa-and-miss-universe-beauty/) [Bob Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barker/) ## More by Lemony Snicket > [“Nevermore Tree was gargantuan, a word which here means 'having attained an inordinate amount of botanical volume.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/nevermore-tree-was-gargantuan-a-word-which-here-means-having-attained/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“But even if they could go home it would be difficult for me to tell you what the moral of the story is. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/but-even-if-they-could-go-home-it-would-be-difficult-for-me-to-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Their adventure would be exciting and memorable like being chased by a werewolf through a field of thorny bushes at midnight with nobody around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/their-adventure-would-be-exciting-and-memorable-like-being-chased-by/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“I am very, very sorry to leave you hanging like that, but as I was writing the tale of the Baudelaire orphans, I happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/i-am-very-very-sorry-to-leave-you-hanging-like-that-but-as-i-was/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“being skeptical is a good thing for a journalist, because it means you don't completely trust anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/being-skeptical-is-a-good-thing-for-a-journalist-because-it-means-you/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Baudelaire children had a slightly different”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/baudelaire-children-had-a-slightly-different/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“To those who hadn't been around Violet long, nothing would have seemed unusual, but those who knew her well knew that when she tied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-those-who-hadn-t-been-around-violet-long-nothing-would-have-seemed/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity," Sunny said, which you will probably recall means something along the lines of "I must admit I don’t have the faintest idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/pietrisycamollaviadelrechiotemexity-sunny-said-which-you-will/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Behind these two booths was an enormous roller coaster, a phrase which here means “a series of small carts where people can sit and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/behind-these-two-booths-was-an-enormous-roller-coaster-a-phrase-which/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“All these things are miracles. It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/all-these-things-are-miracles-it-is-a-miracle-if-you-can-find-true/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Uncle Monty tell”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/uncle-monty-tell/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“As you and I listen to Uncle Monty tell the three Baudelaire orphans that no harm will ever come to them in the Reptile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/as-you-and-i-listen-to-uncle-monty-tell-the-three-baudelaire-orphans/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“They tried picturing leaving Uncle Monty and living by themselves, trying to find jobs and take care of each other. It was a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/they-tried-picturing-leaving-uncle-monty-and-living-by-themselves/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“To Beatrice- darling, dearest, dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/to-beatrice-darling-dearest-dead/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“The French expression 'cul-de-sac' describes what the Baudelaire orphans found when they reached the end of the dark hallway, and like all French expressions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/the-french-expression-cul-de-sac-describes-what-the-baudelaire/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) [Explore all 384 Lemony Snicket quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A huge cloud of dust is not a beautiful thing to look at. Very few painters have done portraits of huge clouds of dust or included them in their landscapes or still lifes. Film directors rarely choose huge clouds of dust to play the lead roles in romantic comedies, and as far as my research has shown, a huge cloud of dust has never placed higher than twenty-fifth in a beauty pageant. 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