Artist Colette Miller launched her Global Angel Wings Project in Los Angeles in 2012. Miller says, “I created the interactive street art angel wings project to remind humanity that we are the angels of Earth.” The colorful wings first appeared in Downtown L.A.'s Arts District. Without prompting, people began posing with the wings and shared the photos on social media.
The angel wings paintings have since taken flight. Miller has painted them in Los Angeles, across the country, and internationally in Mexico, Kenya and Australia. She spoke about the Global Angel Wings Project at TEDx Culver City in June 2015.
Arts District
Miller recently revisited the site of the first-ever angel wings painting, at Traction and Hewitt in the Arts District, to paint a new pair. Miller says, “Los Angeles is the City of Angels, often known for its street art and murals. It's fitting the interactive street art angel wings project started here. It's also apt that the Global Angel Wings Project was founded in this world city of a thousand nationalities/languages/belief systems as all humanity can be the good on this Earth if we try.”
Angel City Brewery
Also located in the Arts District, Angel City Brewery is as known for the street art that adorns the building as it is for its craft beers. In addition to Miller’s angel wings, the brewery features antigirl’s Heart of Los Angeles and a haunting portrait from JR’s The Wrinkles of the City series.
Regent Theater
Perhaps the most-photographed angel wings are painted on a roll-up door at the Regent Theater, located at 446 S. Main St. in Downtown L.A. Acclaimed L.A. photographer Gary Leonard has photographed hundreds of Angelenos, including Mayor Eric Garcetti, standing in front of these wings. Leonard’s recent exhibition, City of Angels: Portraits presented 32 angel wing photos at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
St. Regis Wine & Liquor
Another pair of angel wings is painted outside St. Regis Wine & Liquor, located near the Beverly Center at 8401 West 3rd St. The angel wings wall art off Orlando Avenue and attract all types of passers-by, including a certain Sith Lord who apparently didn’t succumb entirely to the Dark Side.
"Three Flowers Wings" - Melrose Avenue
The “Three Flowers Wings” are located across from Fairfax High School on Melrose Avenue, one block east of Fairfax between Genesee and Ogden.
Miller was commissioned to paint a pair of angel wings on a 14 by 10-foot canvas that is now on view at the Pasadena Convention Center. Another pair of wings is being created for Pasadena, location TBD.
Glendale Transportation Center
Although the angel wings are usually painted works, in November 2015 Miller installed a pair made from steel belted car tires at the historic Glendale Transportation Center. The wings were a temporary installation created for the City of Glendale through a public arts program called Art from the Ashes.
Miller is working on a Google Map of the angel wings, including those on the East Coast and angel wings art around the world. For more info, visit the Global Angel Wings Project website and follow @colettemillerwings on Instagram.