Spiritual Art – Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Angels’ wings. How are angels’ wings expressed in art? Can we paint the wonders of the mystical realm in various creative ways?

Paula Kuitenbrouwer 2023 — Paula Kuitenbrouwer, artist te Utrecht, Netherlands

This is part II of my Angels’ Wing Project. For part I, follow the link.

Angels’ Wings

More on my Angels’ Wing Project. I like to show you a few postcards and pictures that have inspired me whilst I was drawing eight angels’ wings. (They are in Angels’ Wings Part I). Let me start with the small angel in the painting by Pieter de Grebber (ca. 1635-1640).

The small (swan) wing is perfectly positioned in the upper left corner of the painting. The perfect wing (anatomically and composition-wise) seems to naturally attach to the shoulder blade of the angel. I find it interesting how a bird element or a spiritual element is attached to the mundane human body. It is not surprising that the shoulder blade is used to attach a wing; aren’t the ‘naturally’ looking a bit wing-like?

ANGEL GABRIEL

Next: Angel Gabriel announcing the birth of Jesus. His wings are fully unfolded to help the viewer to identify him as an angel. Gabriel’s wings are large and very white, almost radiant. Do you see that divine stream radiating into Maria’s head? Enlarge the picture and you will see baby Jesus diving into Maria’s head (symbolizing a virgin birth). Do you also notice the Holy Spirit symbolized as a dove in the same divine stream of golden light? Now have a look at the two angels looking from heaven (architecturally expressed as a balcony). These angels have red wings. This is all highly symbolic. Red is a colour closer to humans than white as red is the colour of our blood. I wrote more extensively on this painting in another essay which is named Painting the Unpaintable.

What I always find so lovely of these paintings is that the painter most likely used family members as models. Look how closely Maria and Angel Gabriel resemble each-other. I would bet on a brother and sister modelling for this painting.

BLUSHING ANGEL

The postcard with the angel inspired me to use soft red-pink-orange-yellow colours. Look at the lovely blushed red cheeks of the angel and the movement of her hair! And her compassionate look with a sweet teardrop running over her blushed cheek. It must be hard to see people suffering and hurting each other. The wings in the background have lovely ocher and red colours.

I decided to dress up my angel wing with tulips in the colour palette of the postcard. My small card (3-4 inches/ 10-7 cm) is for supporting somebody, sending well wishes, for somebody in need for a floral bouquet (but you are unable to send it). Or just creative nourishment for a sweet soul.

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

Most wings artists have attached to human models representing angels are swan wings. The size of wings in fine art paintings is irrelevant; there is no need for a perfect ratio of wing size to body weight because angels are regarded as weightless. Still artists seem to allude to a perfect ratio: large angels have full grown wings (3/4 of their body size) and cherubs have small wings, often fluffy.

Angels also do not seem to use their wings, like birds do. While the ‘human’ part of the angel is static (standing still), the wings are ‘in flight’, open and depicted as grand as possible. Having no need to follow the laws of aerodynamics or being truthful to ornithological anatomy, angels’ wings allow artists endless freedom. Also, colour-wise.

Archangel Michael is often portrayed with white wings but also with wings in four colours: red, blue, green, and yellow. I have subtly added these colours to my large angel wing. His wings are always large to symbolize his triumph over evil. The original drawing is 30 by 40 cm. The smaller art prints are 7-10cm or 3-4 inches.

Here are my angels’ wings. For more detailed photos, please click here.

Angels' Wings on notebooks — ‘For every notebook an angel wing card’.
Angels’ Wings copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer

With love,

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Nine Angel’s Wings

Nine lovely angels’ wings. They can be used as prayer’s cards, as well-wishing cards, as diary embellishments, or meditation cards. They are just lovely and the text on the backside leaves enough room for a short well-wish.

$30.00

My angel wing cards are also available at my Etsy (shop).

Video’s and photos are also at Instagra m .

Paula Kuitenbrouwer, Drs. M.A. Paula holds an MA degree in Philosophy and works as an artist in Utrecht. She is the owner of mindfuldrawing.com, a website with academic essays, short articles, and artworks. Her pen and pencils are always fighting for her attention nevertheless they are best friends; Paula likes her art to be brainy and her essays to be artistic. Contact Paula freely for commissions or articles.

Angel Wing Project Overview — Paula Kuitenbrouwer’s Angels’ Wings at Etsy

Angels’ wings … how do they look like? Do they have to resemble birds’ wings? Or can we express the wonders of the mystical realm in various creative ways?

Paula Kuitenbrouwer Angels' Wings Copyrighted — Paula Kuitenbrouwer Angels’ Wings

I finished a project that has been in the making for years. I started it when I was living in Ireland, a land full nature, pagan and catholic beliefs. After leaving Ireland, this project got shelved but the pandemic made me return to it. Perhaps thanks to a very quiet lockdown time, local Irish angels could reach me all the way in the Netherlands (two seas in between the Netherlands and Ireland) and whispered ‘Paula, finish this project; don’t let it disappear into oblivion’. So, I returned to my collection of angels’ wings. I enjoyed have felt the whisper and aid of the Muses of the Arts, angels, birds, butterflies, trees, shells, and motherhood during the hours of painting angels’ wings.

In art angels have wings. Through the ages, artists have adjoined bird wings for so the public would recognize what they were drawing are angels. Perhaps another reason for painting bird wings as angels’ wings is transportability; wings symbolize the ability to fly to heaven and return to earth.

Different bird wings have been attached to angels in fine arts, although swan wings seem to be favourite. Archangel Michael has been portrayed with strong, large wings, consisting of four colours; red, green, blue, and yellow. Cherubs are often embellished with cygnet or small swan wings.

The size of wings in fine art paintings is irrelevant; there is no need for a perfect ratio of wing size to body weight because angels are regarded as weightless. They also do not seem to use their wings, like birds do. Having no need to follow the laws of aerodynamics or being truthful to ornithological anatomy, angels’ wings allow artists endless freedom.

For reasons unbeknownst to me some angels are well known others are (almost) forgotten. Most of us know Michael and Gabriel because they are recognized as archangels in Judaism, Islam, and by most Christians but there are many more. Should you like to dive into the realms of angels, I highly recommend A Dictionary of Angels by Gustav Davidson.

‘Angels transcend every religion’, says Saint Thomas Aquinas, ‘…every philosophy and every creed. In fact, angels have no religion as we know it. Their existence preceded every religious system that has ever existed on Earth’.

Which angels do you know? And what do their wings look like? During the months I have worked on my Angels’ Wings Project, I haven’t felt the need to restrict myself to angels recognized by world religions. I found angels close to home; a woodland angel, a sea angel, and a breastfeeding and mothers’ hand angel. It is my hope that you will enjoy my angels’ wings with humor, with fond feelings, and use them as prayer cards or as well-wishing messages for your beloved ones.

Now I will present my angels’ wings. I have used monochromatic and coloured pencils to create as many details as possible. I work on Arches art paper. The printed small cards have a crisp white background and are printed on premium paper with a matte finish.

ANGELS’ WINGS

Archangel Michael's Wing copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Original Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer Copyrighted

Text:

Often angels’ wings are portrayed as white swan wings. However archangel Michael’s wings sometimes have four primary colours; red, blue, green, and yellow. The shape of his wings is always strong and large to illustrate his triumph over evil.

Seraphim Angel Wing copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Original Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer Copyrighted

Text:

Seraphim are ancient celestial beings. They have multiple wings and eyes. Perhaps we should see these eyes symbolically? Do the eyes represent that angels see all things? In the spiritual realm things are different. Having multiple eyes or faces perhaps means that the spiritual realm fills us with majesty and wonder.

Butterfly Angel Wing copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Original Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer Copyrighted

Text:

It is believed that this angel crashed and that butterflies repaired his broken feathers with their hind-wings. This is a fallacy because angels seldom have accidents. The truth is that this angel loves butterflies so much that when he finds a lost wing, he carries it up to heaven. Such is the alluring beauty of the fragile Monarch and Malachite butterfly.

Flower Tulip Angel Wing copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Original Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer Copyrighted

Text:

Spending time in nature isn’t possible for everyone. But a walk in a park, admiring spring flowers, or enjoying a bouquet offers joy too. This angel brings you flowers -tulips in various colours- to delight you. All you are invited to do is to look at the angel-wing with its tulip heads, close your eyes, and imagine that you are showered with flower petals.

Breastfeeding Angel Wing copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Original Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer Copyrighted

Text:

‘Let my baby sleep through the night, please’. The first night your baby sleeps for a longer stretch of time is because you prayed -perhaps subconsciously- to this wonderful angel. She has comforted your baby by using her ultra-soft wing that contains a million of lactating breasts for your newborn. You might have heard your baby making sweet drinking noises? Precisely.

Woodland Angels' Wing Copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Original Artwork by Paula Kuitenbrouwer, Copyrighted

Text:

This woodland angel takes care of seed dispersal when birds, wind, and insects have a day off. Seeds of trees and shrubs are the heart, start, and renewal of a forest. This woodland angel stores nuts and forest fruits between his wing feathers and releases them where saplings are needed.

Mother's Hands Angel Wing Copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — Mother’s Hands Angel copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Text:

Losing your mother is a momentous heartbreak. We miss our mother’s love, her voice, her soft cheeks, and her caring hands. When we miss our mother, this angel comforts us. She has millions of mothers’ hands woven into her feathers. At night, she softly wraps her motherly wing around those who grieve.

Beach Angels' Wing Copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Text:

Most children and adults collect shells when they saunter along the beach. The more complex and exotic they are in shape and size, the better. Angels love gathering shells too. Of course, angels aren’t geographically restricted. This angel extravagantly has decorated its wing with a wonderful assemblage of shells.

Midwinter Angel Wing with Holly & Ivy decorations and lots of greens and reds,
copyright by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

As for good, traditional Midwinter, Christmas, or Happy Holidays, I have painted a large strong angel wing with holly & ivy. The wing shows many green and red hues, the traditional colours we miss so much during the long, dark, and grey winter months. The text on the backside reads:

In the midwinter months, this angel’s wing spreads evergreens such as holly and ivy that keep their fresh green foliage throughout the winter season.

Green leaves and red berries fill us with hope that the vegetation shall reappear. Evergreens provide us with a sense of safety and merriment.

On the darkest days of the year, we decorate our homes as we do in spring, reminding us of fertility, birth, food, and joy.

May you consider this midwinter angel wing as the herald of happiness.

ALL ANGELS' WINGS TOGETHER, copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer — ALL ANGELS’ WINGS TOGETHER, copyright Paula Kuitenbrouwer

FROM OBLIVION TO GLORY

In the light of the above inspiration….I hope you have enjoyed various angels’ wings. I might make more and I welcome angel wing commissions. The ones above are available as small art prints for using them as prayer/memory/well wishing as well as originals. Do contact me freely by using the contact form. Send them to your beloved ones, those who need support, or keep them in your holy books, diaries, or notebooks.

Nine (9) Angel’s Wings

Nine professionally printed Angel Wing Cards to be used as well wishing, prayer or bookmark cards (size 7,5 x 10,5 cm which is about 3 x 4 inches). The text on the back leaves enough space for a small note.

€30.00

With love,

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

at Etsy (shop)

at Instagram (portfolio and videos)