Archangel

Archangel is a 5-by-7-inch acrylic on wood panel that grew from an intuitive process focused on texture and color. I worked with acrylic crackle paste and molding paste to build a layered, porous surface, then applied thinned acrylics in washes to reveal organic stains and subtle color shifts. The composition emerged naturally as I observed how the layers and cracks interacted.

Scraping pale orange paint across the textured surface revealed what I recognized as an abstract angel figure. Adding a white ring (a halo) around the topmost white circle was the only conscious decision amid an otherwise spontaneous approach. This detail anchored the image and gave it its title.

Archangel expresses a balance between chance and intention. Its tactile surface invites close viewing, highlighting the process of transformation—how layers break down and reconfigure to form something new and unexpected. The artwork can be a contemplation on emergence, presence, and the interplay of color, form, and texture within a small scale.