Ahrend Walters is a Creative Genius and Christian PoetDoes being prolifically creative mean a person is a creative genius? The evidence through history clearly shows certain people have advanced capabilities and intelligence. We sometimes call these people geniuses. Most geniuses are not only highly intelligent, but many of them are also highly creative.
Ahrend Walters believes he is a creative genius. To make that claim, rather than it being bestowed upon him, may seem arrogant and conceited. Why would he make such a claim? Does he want recognition for his creative talent? Does he want to be viewed as great, or is his reason for such a claim much deeper than the conclusions many might jump to? Let us consider just what a creative genius may beThe Merriam-Webster dictionary has a few definitions for genius. These definitions include “extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity”.The word has also been used to describe a spirit – such as a genie – that can influence others for good or bad. Furthermore, a synonym for genius is gift. If someone has an advanced intellect, a spiritual dependency on God as their higher power and acknowledges that their talents are a gift would it not be accurate to consider them a creative genius? We use the term creative genius here to describe Ahrend Walters as a person endowed with a gift for creative arts, primarily his inspired poetry. He is prolific in his writing and each day he is creating more. He also paints and composes music, but it is his unusual and introspective poetry that he considers his primary calling.
Ahrend Walters Original Poetry Books
Ahrend has looked deeply into the works of other creators – artists, poets and theorists. Many of them do not have a message of love, peace and truth. Ahrend believes we are all called to express to other people that message and not one of vanity over our talents. His mission through his writing is to illustrate to the worlds his own personal discovery that Christ is the only truth and perfection. It is not man’s creative talents and teachings that bring this truth; it is found in the teachings of Christ and Ahrend wants to express through his art this amazing power of love. Ahrend Walters has accepted that God has gifted him and inspires him to use his gift to point to Jesus Christ. He considers his mission is to live and work as an evangelical artist. His creative works, flaws and all, are intended to give glory to God and to show how Jesus Christ is the only One that can provide answers and true meaning. This is something he has personally discovered through the amazing mystery of art and he wants to share this with you through his poetry. Walters strongly believes that all creative geniuses, no matter how great their work, are flawed and imperfect. He believes people are often misguided by looking to human creations by vastly talented people as answers to the purpose and meaning in life. This is vain and pointless without acknowledging that God is working in and through each person’s gifts.
There have been other instances through the years where instructors, teachers, administrators and authority figures have not understood him. Conflict often arises from these circumstances, but Ahrend has also used these experiences to strengthen his faith and fuel his creative output. 
The evidence of some recent research indicates there may be a link between creativity, genius and mental disorders such as manic depression or bipolar disease. The emotional range experienced by highly creative individuals may have something to do with this. A research study by Kaufman and Baer in 2002 proposed that those with mental illnesses are more likely drawn to poetry due to the personal nature of this expressiveness. This is probably true for Ahrend Walters. He uses his personal life instances as inspiration and sources for his poetry. He looks at all of life as part of God’s creation and he is willing to explore the paradoxical nature of our experiences to draw him deeper into the mystery of a spiritual existence. You do not have to accept that Ahrend Walters is a creative genius. We merely invite you to consider his ever growing body of published poetry, his ongoing dedication to his life work and how the poems speak to your heart. He admits that there is contradicting abstracts and confusion in his art and poetry. This has been the theme of his life. Yet holding the tension between the opposites exposed in this contradiction and confusion will force you to go beyond “yes/no” and “either/or” answers to the “both/and” embrace of paradox. Then you may appreciate Ahrend’s desire to admit his imperfections and flaws while striving for his creative best – all to point to Christ as the answer. If indeed God gifts each of us then we are all potential creative geniuses. Ahrend Walters has chosen to follow this path and to dedicate his works as the Believer Poet to the One who is perfect and can bring about perfection. Ahrend is pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Because he strongly believes that perfection can only be found in the One who is perfect he is willing to leave flaws of grammar and spelling in his writing. He doesn’t want to spend an undue amount of time in revision. He still does care and does do some revision (again pointing to how paradox and contradiction are at work in his life and his creativity). However, he won’t correct or revise to the degree that he thinks his work is then complete – i.e. “perfected”. He wants all his readers to appreciate that no creative genius has perfect work. It is all flawed to some degree because we as humans are incapable of perfection on our own . You can read more about Ahrend Walters with an excerpt from his biography featured in his newest book, The Intrigue Of An Imperfect Beauty Read an excerpt of Ahrend Walters' Biography
|
Genius can be difficult to assess at an early age, although certain children clearly demonstrate intelligence and creativity well beyond the norm for their age. However, in Ahrend’s case he has dealt with the added complication of being diagnosed as bi-polar. This diagnosis didn’t occur until he was in the military after graduating from High School.
