What is IMAGO?
IMAGO is a community of Christian artists and art lovers. The name "IMAGO" is taken from Genesis 1, where God created man(kind) in His image (or "IMAGO"). He is the ultimate Artist, and we believe we imitate our Creator whenever we create art from the talents and perspectives with which He has graciously infused us. IMAGO engages artists and the Arts for the glory of God. Our desire is to provide a safe, welcoming place for Christian artists to explore the intersection of life, Art, and faith. Our ultimate goal is to have transformed artists creating transformed Art to transform culture. IMAGO seeks to provide an environment where each artist can express his/her faith via the Arts (music, painting, sculpture, dance, poetry, etc.) while also providing encouragement and training to new artists.
Who is IMAGO for?
IMAGO is for the Christian artist and art-lover. For the Christian artist, IMAGO provides:
- Fellowship and community with other Christian artists
- An outlet for them to love and serve the church with their God-given talents
- Support and encouragement for the development of Art
- Development of a Christ-centered view of Art (Christian aesthetic)
- A conduit through which they can be loved and served by the church
The Christian art-lover will find:
- A way to support and encourage Christian artistic expression
- Exposure to Christ-centered Art
What does being a member mean?
Membership means participation. It does not mean professional artist. Both amateurs and professionals of all skill levels find great encouragement and inspiration at IMAGO. We meet once a month for Art- and Artist-relevant teaching, discussion, fellowship, encouragement and Art-share. Art-share is a short time at the beginning of each meeting where one of us shares our art with the group. We also enjoy a social art outing or "Arting," every few months. Artings take the form of visiting gallery openings, concerts, poetry readings, etc. The last two years we have put on the Holy Week Art show as part of Houston's First's celebration of Easter. This year, we will also host 2-3 Art workshops (IMAGO Workshops) that are open to the community.
Do I have to be a member of Houston's First Baptist Church to be involved with IMAGO?
While IMAGO was started by members of Houston's First and is based at Houston's First Baptist Church, church membership is not a prerequisite for IMAGO membership. Our hope, however, is for any artist in IMAGO to find a safe, biblical community to join for regular teaching and worship. If you aren't connected to one yet, then please join one of us on a Sunday at Houston's First.
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