Art Quote by Madeleine L'Engle
““The artist is a servant who is willing to be a birthgiver. In a very real sense the artist (male or female) should be like Mary who, when the angel told her that she was to bear the Messiah, was obedient to the command. ...I believe that each work of art, whether it is a work of great genius, or something very small, comes to the artist and says, "Here I am. Enflesh me. Give birth to me." And the artist either says, "My soul doth magnify the Lord," and willingly becomes the bearer of the work, or refuses; but the obedient response is not necessarily a conscious one, and not everyone has the humble, courageous obedience of Mary. As for Mary, she was little more than a child when the angel came to her; she had not lost her child's creative acceptance of the realities moving on the other side of the everyday world. We lose our ability to see angels as we grow older, and that is a tragic loss.””
About This Quote
The artist must be obedient like Mary, receiving creative inspiration and giving birth to it, though humility and courage are rare.
In simple terms: Artists receive inspiration and must create it, often without conscious effort.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility and let inspiration guide creation.
Themes
creativity
obedience
humility
spirituality
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
creative
When to use this quote
- painting
- writing
- music
- performance
- teaching
Key Concepts
artistic muse
divine inspiration
creative process
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you feel a higher call in your work?
- How can humility improve artistic practice?
A Different Perspective
Not all artists feel a divine call; some view creation as skillful craft.
