Today’s video is quite unusual. Watch an artist who uses a hammer on glass to create portraits. You have to see it to believe it.
I am constantly amazed by the outrageous creativity of the human mind. Whether one will acknowledge it or not, we are made in the image of God. And, therefore, to quote Tolkien, we can become sub-creators in our art. To quote David Downing, from his excellent article, “Sub-creation or Smuggled Theology“:
Tolkien could view sub-creation as a form of worship, a way for creatures to express the divine image in them by becoming creators.
Food for thought.
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“Every once in a while it turns out good” may be the understatement of the day.
What a beautiful reminder for us all: we offer our imperfect tools, our trembling hands, and even the broken pieces—and God can shape something meaningful through them. Creativity often feels like risk, pressure, and fragments before it looks like beauty. But in the hands of the ultimate Creator, even the cracks can become part of the portrait.
Remarkable!
“Tolkien could view sub-creation as a form of worship, a way for creatures to express the divine image in them by becoming creators.”
I think I knew this subconsciously, but I’m thrilled to now have it out in the open. To know my chosen artistic tool, the written or spoken word, is no less an act of worship than our Sunday morning hymns and choruses is a liberating idea.