In Pursuit of Being Angelic

How does one become an angel? Whether you believe myth or lore. I believe I met an angel once.... it was the stars plucked from the heavens above that created his eyes, the gentle features that soften his presence. A body carved from god himself. Another clue may have been the grandiloquent expansive wings that framed all this beauty. More true than anything else, it was the selfless choices that reflected back into the mirror. The choices of love, compassion, and forgiveness that were diligently woven together with each feather that made his wings. That in turn made him fly.

It was through my trial and error in creating these wings that my appreciation for the models and fashion icons I admire altered my initial goal. Though I will always admire their stature, I took an unexpected lesson from this costume.

I found freedom in flaws.

Sarafice soctiecials perfectionist values, both in myself and my wings.

Growing up with a cleft lip and palate, my face was always a point of insecurity. Especially while admiring the plastic perfection as a fashion staple. However, with this project, my frustration at the imperfections lead to an understanding of its beauty. The real texture in skin, the story and life lessons learned from having a cleft lip and palate, shouldn't be airbrushed away like it never existed. It is the so-called “flaws,” that allow the light of personality to show through the cracks of our strive for perfection. It is that what makes us real, human, and yet, angelic in our humanity.

The intricate line work was done as a visual representation of our individuality and how it is not only inbedded into our skin, but our souls, and how it is a core aspect of who we are.

No markings, no scars, no flaws speak the same. They are all stories, whether we choose to share them or not. However, it is in telling these stories, that we embrace our true selves.

Every Halloween, I try to challenge myself to create something better than the year before. For me it’s an act of improving myself artistically and seeing how far I can really push my skills.

Tackling these wings was a hard task because I needed to figure out a way to create some structure without it being too heavy or too flimsy. I decided to start with the frame which I constructed out of card board and wires. I luckily found a plastic roll laying in the garage thinking I could use as a way to create a shell around the frame. After cutting out long plastic sheets, I used a heat gun to melt it around the cardboard and wires. Once the plastic cools down, it acts as a casing for the frame.

Up next were the feathers.

Instead of buying a bunch of them, I opted with paper feathers that I spent a couple hours cutting out. With over 300 feathers created, all that was left was to glue everything together. Thanks to the plastic casing, I easily hot glued the feathers in a layered pattern all over, creating a realistic cascading effect. To top everything off, I used dollar store cotton sheets to surround the outer parts of the wings, providing more volume and depth. Nearing the bottom of the wings, I glued tinsel to add a sparkling effect when light would hit it. Finally, I glued on straps to the wings so I would be able to wear them.

In creating these wings, I practiced many angel worthy virtues.

From meticulously cutting out feathers, and getting messy with hot glue, reflecting my diligence and patience, to my delicate and loving touch; the entire process of creation was almost meditatively reflective of the angelic nature of the wings themselves.

Halloween to me is more than just a day of horror and scares. It’s the one day that allows us to be ourselves and truly express our creative nature. I decided to be an angel this year to signify my personality through an artistic medium. The wings are pure white to represent how a life cannot be damaged if the soul remains protected. Through the grunge of the terrain, I have always found my footing and traversed passed the toughest of obstacles, keeping my wings clean and unscaved.