Creativity and Imagination

The mental power of image-making is one thing, or aspect; and it should appropriately be called Imagination. The perception of the image, the grasp of its implications, and the control, which are necessary to a successful expression, may vary in vividness and strength: but this is a difference of degree in Imagination, not a difference in kind. The achievement of the expression, which gives (or seems to give) “the inner consistency of reality,” is indeed another thing, or aspect, needing another name: Art, the operative link between Imagination and the final result, Sub-creation.
      — J.R.R. Tolkien, On Fairy-Stories

I have been inspired by the idea of creativity and imagination over the last couple of weeks but I could not put my observations into words, however after viewing so many paintings in Tuesday's class and focusing on art in general, I was able to identify the things going on in my head. Art seems to reflect the thoughts and beliefs of the one who makes it. It speaks about what's going on in the mind of the creator.

I learned about Imago Dei, (Latin for: The Image of God) a few weeks ago. The Bible says that we were created in God's image. That means we resemble God in some way or some characteristic. I am not quite sure what other characteristics we might possess, but I have realized that we do have the ability to create and imagine, something that probably comes from God. I am sure that God didn't create us without knowing what He was doing. I believe that before creating the world and all that is in it, God had an idea and probably imagined what the world would be like and what we would be like. And while creating us, God may have immersed certain traits in us that would reflect him.

I believe that if we imagine something and create it, it reflects us. That means that our creation should reflect our creator, since we are God's creation and are made to reflect him.

"...every work of art reflects both the artist and the artist's Creator." - Don Hudson