--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most optimistic thing that's happened…" description: "\"The most optimistic thing that's happened is that as a society we're beginning to recognize that there are many voices. When I began, thirty years ago,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/wendy-ewald-70294_artist_the-most-optimistic-thing-that-s-happene_2146462.jpg" --- # The most optimistic thing that's happened is that as a… ![“The most optimistic thing that's happened is that as a society we're beginning to recognize that there are many voices. When I began, thirty years ago, the idea of one author or the artist as being a solitary creature was really the only idea that there was.” quote by Wendy Ewald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/wendy-ewald-70294_artist_the-most-optimistic-thing-that-s-happene_2146462.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/wendy-ewald-70294_artist_the-most-optimistic-thing-that-s-happene_2146462.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/wendy-ewald-70294_artist_the-most-optimistic-thing-that-s-happene_2146462.jpg) > “The most optimistic thing that's happened is that as a society we're beginning to recognize that there are many voices. When I began, thirty years ago, the idea of one author or the artist as being a solitary creature was really the only idea that there was.” Wendy Ewald ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society is finally hearing many diverse voices, moving beyond the myth of the isolated creator. **In simple terms:** Many voices are now recognized. Key Takeaway Listen to varied perspectives. Themes diversity community creativity Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational social When to use this quote - education reform - public art projects - media representation - community workshops Key Concepts social change collective identity Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions amplify marginalized voices? - What barriers still silence creators? A Different Perspective Not all voices are equally heard; power structures persist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [The artist after all is a solitary being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-artist-after-all-is-a-solitary-being/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Then two wonders happened at the same moment. One was that the voice was suddenly joined by other voices; more voices than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/then-two-wonders-happened-at-the-same-moment-one-was-that-the-voice/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Hush!’ said the Cabby. They all listened. In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/hush-said-the-cabby-they-all-listened-in-the-darkness-something-was/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Didn't you know I'm going to be the greatest, most entertaining author and artist in the world? Well, don't feel badly, I didn't either!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/didn-t-you-know-i-m-going-to-be-the-greatest-most-entertaining-author/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“An author is an artist who paints a picture in the imagination of the reader.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-case/an-author-is-an-artist-who-paints-a-picture-in-the-imagination-of-the/) Darrell Case > [The work of one author or artist may stimulate another author or artist to push the edge, to take the risk, to go where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hesse/the-work-of-one-author-or-artist-may-stimulate-another-author-or/) [Karen Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hesse/) > [Particularly at the moment, it's an incredibly optimistic thing to bring children into the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/particularly-at-the-moment-it-s-an-incredibly-optimistic-thing-to/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [“Putting up food is, at its heart, an optimistic thing. It’s a bold way to say: I will be sticking around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novella-carpenter/putting-up-food-is-at-its-heart-an-optimistic-thing-it-s-a-bold-way/) [Novella Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novella-carpenter/) > [My parents said marrying was an optimistic thing to do in pessimistic times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/my-parents-said-marrying-was-an-optimistic-thing-to-do-in-pessimistic/) [Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/) > [I guess the optimistic thing is that those people in Congress who are climate deniers, I think their time has run out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-guess-the-optimistic-thing-is-that-those-people-in-congress-who-are/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [I like to keep working and keep changing. It's a hopeful, optimistic thing to think and sit about what you could do next. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/i-like-to-keep-working-and-keep-changing-it-s-a-hopeful-optimistic/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years; and at last, just as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-not-like-studying-german-where-you-mull-along-in-a-groping/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Placing his snout on the edge of my bed, Boomer pricks up his ears and widens his smiling eyes when I turn my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-a-white/placing-his-snout-on-the-edge-of-my-bed-boomer-pricks-up-his-ears-and/) [Jeffrey A. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-a-white/) > [“1. Who is a Death Warrior? Anyone can be a Death Warrior, not just someone who is terminally ill. We are all terminally ill.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-x-stork/1-who-is-a-death-warrior-anyone-can-be-a-death-warrior-not-just/) [Francisco X. Stork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-x-stork/) ## More by Wendy Ewald > [Gradually I saw that it was less interesting for me, as an artist, to frame the world wholly according to my own perceptions. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-ewald/gradually-i-saw-that-it-was-less-interesting-for-me-as-an-artist-to/) Wendy Ewald > [I wanted to make photographs that were immediate and revealing - different from traditional portraiture that called for formal distance between artist and subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-ewald/i-wanted-to-make-photographs-that-were-immediate-and-revealing/) Wendy Ewald > [Sometimes I think I disguise myself as a teacher in order to make the pictures I need to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-ewald/sometimes-i-think-i-disguise-myself-as-a-teacher-in-order-to-make-the/) Wendy Ewald Explore all 4 Wendy Ewald quotes ## 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": "The most optimistic thing that's happened is that as a society we're beginning to recognize that there are many voices. 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