Every true artist does feel, consciously or unconsciously, that [he] is touching transcendental truths; that [his] images are shadows of things seen through the veil. In other words, the natural mystic does know that there is something there; something behind the clouds or within the trees; but [he] believes that the pursuit of beauty is the way to find it...
The world is a mirror of infinite beauty, yet no one sees it. It is a Temple of majesty, yet no one regards it. It is a region of Light and Peace, did not humans disquiet it. It is the Paradise of God, the place of Angels, and the Gate of Heaven.
~ from CENTURIES OF MEDITATIONS by Thomas Traherne
