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Abel's Island, art, books, children, inspiration, quotations, William Steig
Illustration from Abel’s Island by William Steig, 1975
Quote of the Week
“Art has the power to make any spot on earth the living center of the universe; and unlike science, which often gives us the illusion of understanding things we really don’t understand, it helps us to know life in a way that keeps before us the mystery of things.
It enhances the sense of wonder. And wonder is respect for life.”
—William Steig. author and illustrator of award winning children’s book, including The Magic Pebble, for which he won a Caldecott Medal in 1970. This quote is from his acceptance speech.
More on Art and the Mystery in the Midst of Things
“Art evokes the mystery without which the world would not exist.” -Rene Magritte.
“The artist’s function is to love the enigma. All art is this: love which has been poured out over enigmas – and all works of art are enigmas surrounded and adorned by love.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
“The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery.” -Francis Bacon
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious; It is the source of all true art and science.” – Albert Einstein
Discover more from Deborah J. Brasket, Author
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Love the quote, I just shared it with a friend who is driving through the Scottish Highlands right now reconnecting with her ancestral past. Perfect.
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That’s wonderful, Claire! So glad you were able to share this with your friend.
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Lovely. Thanks for sharing, Deborah. Here are some poems that relate to this feeling of the wonder of being expressed in poetry.
Denise Levertov’s Primary Wonder is being present to the quiet mystery that sustains us. https://theuncarvedblog.com/2015/02/10/denise-levertovs-primary-wonder-is-being-present-to-the-quiet-mystery-that-sustains-us/
Denise Levertov’s poem “Of Being” describes that mysterious moment of expansive inner stillness, joy and reverence. https://theuncarvedblog.com/2018/03/06/denise-levertovs-poem-of-being-describes-that-mysterious-moment-of-expansive-inner-stillness-joy-and-reverence/
A mysterious bird in Wallace Stevens’ poem Of Mere Being teaches us the wonder of just being our self https://theuncarvedblog.com/2014/07/16/a-mysterious-bird-in-this-wallace-stevens-poem-teaches-us-the-wonder-of-just-being-our-self/.
And others I mention in these posts.
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Thank you Ken. I love Levertov’s Primary Wonder and have blogged about the poem myself. I’ll look forward to reading the others. i’m a great fan of both poets.
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I love these quotes! Art pointing to mystery isn’t something I had really thought about, but it’s so true.
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Glad you love these, Aubrey, as I do. Art gives rise to so much good in the world, perhaps because it rises from what is so basic to being human, that wonder and awe of all we do not know.
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