Angeldritch is a combination of the words “angelic” and “eldritch”. It is a word I feel can come close to fully encompassing what my artwork means and looks like. To be Angeldritch is to be on the fringe of angelic and eldritch, just as I believe is the true nature of life. A caterpillar does not metamorphose into a beautiful butterfly without first dissolving into a fleshy soup. When blood flows, it sustains life—but it can also mean death. As matter decays, it makes space for vibrant, fruiting mushrooms. These scenarios are all examples of the Angeldritch at play. The angelic is what fascinates and comforts us; the eldritch horrifies and reminds of us of our mortality—two opposite extremes—yet one cannot exist without the other. All things exist on this spectrum of angelic and eldritch; all things are Angeldritch.

ANGELDRITCH - What is it?

Who am I?

Our negative experiences juxtaposed against the blessings of our life enrich our depth of understanding. My name is Kiefer Sommerfield, born February 26, 1998, and I am an artist who resides in Rancho Cordova, CA. I have always felt deeply and thought analytically, with my mind seemingly fine-tuned to seeing the tragic circumstances of life. It is these deep feelings and dark thoughts that are inevitably bestowed to the canvas. I see my sensitivity as somewhat of a curse, and yet expressing it through art has given me one of the greatest gifts I have ever known. So now I grapple with finding meaning in the cursed gift, attempting to understand why it has been given to me or maybe more importantly, what I can do with it. I tackle the theme of the presence of good and evil, which is expressed by my preoccupation with demons and angels. But there are other coexisting opposites that fascinate me too, such as growth and pain, which are expressed by the imagery of blood and flowers. The usage of the human body ties these abstract themes to our tangible experiences. This is my art: an answer to unanswerable questions, an attempt to find concrete meaning in the abstraction of life, and sometimes a simple desire to add beauty to an often cruel realm.