This article is written by Cheryl Crane

There are many layers in this artwork, layers of thoughts, tears, imagery, and art materials. This artwork was inspired by the 911 attacks on the world Trade Center. There are 2 thoughts intertwined in this piece.  One, Fear of death and dying; hopeful for a better life as we journey with the angels to a greater life without fear.

Below is a weaving of wisteria that inspired the imagery for Fear.  Fear was created after 911 as a reminder of evil that lurks.

It’s a mixed media artwork that combines:

• Stamps
• torn newspaper with names of victims from the attacks on the world trade center
• imagery representing death and dying.

The Angels on the face are digital imagery created from a painting. Green oil paint is used to complement the red and cause strong contrast.

The angels represent hope. Each piece of mixed media is painted on with gel medium.

This piece began as a large Reeves watercolor, paper and a lot of newspapers, stamps, and textured papers.

I first planned my imagery levels of fear…fear of death and dying.  This imagery is collaged figures that are placed within the hair.  Different textures/papers are torn and ripped then glued using gel medium. The 2 stamps represent the United States and the beginning of Fear when the atom was split and the atomic bomb fell on Japan.

There is also ripped paper from an old Japanese newspaper.

Also in the hair of Fear is a ripped black paper.  If you look closely you will see the names of the victims who died in the attack. These names were posted in the Free lance Star.

On one half of the face is a cropped altered image of the Angels of Death.

This painting of Angels is an oil painting that hangs in Fredericksburg Baptist church in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

I took a photo of this painting and altered it using photoshop.  I then glued it onto the watercolor paper using gel medium.

The overall color scheme was planned as a monochromatic scheme.  However, I decided to add the greens and red (compliments to show conflict).  I used water and oil paint in the background.

That is how I created my artwork – The FEAR. I hope you like it!

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Cheryl has been an art educator for 25 years in Stanford County Schools. She also teaches private lessons and sells art in her company Paint with Me. She is known as the Angel painter.

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