Imitation

Today in class we discussed the main concept behind the Q & A for this week. As mentioned by Plato in the reading, art is just an imitation of an imitation. I couldn't agree more with this statement but for those who don't necessarily understand this rather direct statement, here is a break down. First and foremost, anything and everything that is thought of or created originates in one way or another with a single concept. Plato notes this as being basically created by the Gods. The nature of the object that is being thought of originates with the Gods. Next, the idea is put into motion and thus created. This is the job of the craftspersons. They make a literal representation of what was thought of and imagined by the Gods. In a sense they are imitating what the Gods had intended; the nature of that object. Finally, the artist now comes into play. They think of what was created in the first place the idea and nature of the object and then the literal representation of it made by the craftspersons. They then make an imitation of that object in some form of artwork. Thus they made a piece of art that is an imitation of an imitation.
Now a question may arise, as did in class today; what about objects that were the first of their kind to be created, for example the wheel? How do they follow the same logic as through the Platonic Metaphysics of the imitation of an imitation?