LESSON 2:

CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION and EXPRESSION in Art Appreciation

Introduction
We all have this amazing capacity to create anything out of
nothing, or sometimes, out of something that seem useless. You know
when girls used to fix the broken hook sewn on their skirts using a
safety pin? Or if you watched the movie, Fate and the Furious where
Dominic Torreto wanted to
improve the performance of his
cousin’s car by removing a
bunch of car parts to make it
lighter, and then adding the
coke in can ring in the nitrous
oxide? In this time and age, different fashion styles recognized around the world
emerged from reusable materials brought about by imagination and
creativity. In fact, from being a painter to a teacher, a businessman, a chef
or simply a student, whatever an individual’s occupation is, three concepts
related to art are necessary to execute one’s ideas: imagination, creativity,
and expression.

Imagination is defined as the capacity to produce images, ideas

and sensations in the mind without any immediate input of the senses
(Byrne, 2005). In short, it is the process of forming new images in the mind
that have not been previously experienced by our five senses as in the case of fantasy, fairy tale or fiction (Fabiani, 2009).
According to an interview, Albert Einstein regards imagination as “more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited.
Imagination encircles the world” (Viereck, 1929). Creativity is defined as the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into
reality (Ward, 2003). It is characterized by an ability to associate, question, observe, create a network, and experiment
(Weisberg, 1993). In short, there is creativity when one sees the world in a brand-new way to find concealed patterns and
make connections between occurrences to come-up with solutions.

Creativity involves two processes: thinking and producing (Markman & Suhr, 2009). In a nutshell, if you have ideas
and you do not do something about it, you are imaginative but not creative. Imagination and creativity are tools for art-
making (Heid, 2008). When one creates art, he or she seeks to make a statement, construct an invention, improve a
design and change how it works. Further, he or she seeks to connect or change a perspective using imagination and
creativity.

Creativity is an artist trait developed in the course of one’s life to solve

problems or express his feelings. His continuing reactions to emerging conditions
of nature and social life gives birth to new idea and new methods. These in turn,
he uses to overcome difficulties, which in the process of confrontation with reality,
give the solution to a vision, create art, or activate social transformation.

The method of creativeness is composed of the artist, being the prime

mover, his thoughts, communicated through the performer, and the audience as his
judge. Each participates dynamically in the artistic process.
 Through exposures to the artists’ works, we get a glimpse of the thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and relations of
the people in their time and the events that happened in their environment that may have influenced their artworks.
Our encounter with the arts may also result in our valuing and appreciation of beautiful things. Out of the aesthetic
experiences we derive from the arts, we may be influenced to change our habits and behaviors. They may
transform us into highly cultured, dignified, and upright human beings. The arts may beautify our humanity.

This explains the modern definition of the humanities, which refers to the Arts that bring out the good and
noble in us. Through the arts, we come to know and understand the changing image of man as he journeys across
time, searches for the reality, and strives to achieve the ideals that create the meaning of life.

Art appreciation in the humanities is being able to look at a work of arts and form a wise opinion of the work.
It is also having the knowledge, background, and understanding of the universal and timeless qualities that
comprise all works of art. Art appreciation, therefore, deals with the learning or understanding and creating
artworks and enjoying them.

ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
There are principles and bases of appreciating a work of art since it is in the art that man can communicate
one’s individuality and a way of life.

Art is Universal
 Art is everywhere; wherever men have lived together, art has sprung up among them as a language charged with
feelings and significance. The desire to create this language appears to be general, and arts as a cultural force can be
pervasive and potent.
Art has no limit, and it rises above cultures, races, and civilization. It is timeless because it goes beyond the time of
our own existence.
Art is Not Nature

Art is man-made; it is a creation of man utilizing his thoughtful skill and artistry, which undergoes process and
planning. Art is artificial because it is just an imitation or even an appropriation of reality and nature. It is a representation
of ideas, thoughts, and feelings that are communicated in creative and artistic ways.
Art that is created by GOD who is Divine, and art that is created by man is superficial or temporary. Works of art
are made by artists to adore the wonders of life and the beauty of God’s creation.
Art can never be natural because it is momentary in the constant transformation of change; it does not change by
itself unless manipulated by its creator, who is man.
Artists could make any work of art, but they definitely could not form nature. From man’s experiences, we cannot
even compare Art with Nature because it is something mysterious, and it is made by the Divine Providence whose depth
and mystery is beyond human understanding.

Art is cultural.
Every culture has its own kind of art as it has its own language. There are primitive cultures that have no real
mythology or religion, but all cultures have some form of art such as dance, song, design, or tools and even art on the
human body as in tattoos (Langer, 1966). With most artists’ conviction, art is the epitome of human life. Since culture is
defined as “the totality of socially transmitted behavior, patterns, beliefs, institutions and other products of human work,”
art, indeed is cultural (Tomasello, 1999). Culture also refers to all the things that make-up people’s way of life (White,
1949). As stated in Banaag & Cruz (2017), it is the social behavior and norms found in human societies.
Therefore, this assumption of art articulates that its creation is almost always interconnected with one’s culture.
When you happen to see a Zen garden, you would know that it is a practice that originated from China. When you see
paper swans being used as decorations in a wedding ceremony, you would realize that origami is an art from Japan.
When you see films featuring Bollywood music and dancing, you know that it is a movie from India. In the Philippines,
jeepneys and the artistic structure of bahay kubo are trademarks of the Filipino culture.

Art Involves Experience

Art is depiction of our experiences. It demands taking part. Art involves laying of pigments, molding of clay, chipping of
marble, casting of bronze, constructing of buildings, singing of songs, playing roles on stage, acting and going through
rhythmic movements in a dance.
Every art does something with physical material, the body or something outside the body; thus, the only way to find
conviction and assertion is through immersion in the Arts.
We can only appreciate art if we spend time to look at it, listen to it, touch it, and feel its presence.

FUNCTIONS OF ART
1. Personal – It is being used to provide comfort, happiness, and convenience to human beings. The artist tries to
express his personal feelings through the artwork.
2. Social – Art is used for public display and celebration; it is used to affect collective behavior. It bridges connection
among people. Art conveys sense of family, community, or civilization.
3. Cultural Function - Art helps preserve, share, and transmit culture of people from one generation to another.
4. Aesthetic Function - Art becomes influential for man to be aware of the beauty of nature. Aesthetic is when there is
the real feelings of appreciation to nature’s beauty and are manifested through appreciation and enjoyment when in
contact with the artwork.
5. Spiritual Function - An artist may create a work of an art to reinforce the religious or spiritual support of a culture.

WORKSHEET 4
Name: ________________________________________________ Year/Section: _____________________
Date: ____________________________ Professor: __________________________

Look around you. Do you find anything creative? On the space provided, paste a picture of something or someone
that you find creative and then complete the sentence below:
I find this creative because __________________________________________________________
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Creativity, for me, is
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Name: ____________________________________________ Year/Section: ___________________________

Date: ________________________________ Professor: ____________________________

Worksheet 5
You have just learned the interconnection between imagination, creativity and expression. Below are pictures q
objects.
Use your imagination and creativity to draw a new object that would best express your ideas, thoughts, or
emotions.
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1. How do you feel after the activity?
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2. When can you say that a seafarer is creative?

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Name: _____________________________________________ Year/Section: ______________________
Date: __________________________________ Professor : ________________________

Worksheet 6
Create a literary artwork below (a) 6 stanza poem of free verse or rhyming words, (b) short story of 1,000
words, (c) etc.) as an expression of how you feel about being a Fourth-Class Midshipman. Make sure that you
have a title for your literary work.