We spent all of yesterday in the shadow of the storm — several storms, actually; wave after wave of smaller squalls — and managed to attract not a single drop of rain.
Early September is still monsoon season here, and a darkened sky is a welcome sight even in ordinary times.
These are not ordinary times.
Now, the land is laboring to survive a drought so severe that even the smallest shower is a blessing of incalculable value. A light drizzle takes on the outsized presence of a waterfall; puddles assume the significance of far larger pools, ripples spiraling outward like miniature tidal waves lapping at an ashen shore. Storm-blackened skies that hide the light are not to be feared, but welcomed, invited — rewarded, even, were it in our power to do so.
It is not, of course. We live at the mercy of driving forces, the whims and caprice of elemental powers. Nowhere does that become more evident that in our current state of dissonance, the disconnect between the heavy waters we so desperately need and the drought that keeps them eternally at bay.
But perhaps it helps, in a time of scarcity, to recognize, to acknowledge and honor the spirits of abundance. It’s a time-honored strategy of traditional indigenous peoples the world over: Speak the name of that which you wish to invite into your world (and, conversely, do not speak the name of that which will bring harm).
In that vein, then, today we speak the names of the water, at least a couple of its forms and attributes. Despite yesterday’s encouraging forecast, the rains passed us by; today’s early clouds to the west suggest that we may have another opportunity today to persuade them to stop for a while. And today’s featured works, two similar but not identical pieces from one of Wings’s collections in miniature, embody the waters as driving forces, as powers self-contained and deliberate, intent upon their purpose.
We begin with the larger of the two, a powerful fall of silver lines cascading down the band’s arc. From its description in the relevant section of the Bracelets Gallery here on the site:
Waterfall Cuff Bracelet
Some say the world itself was created in a fall of water and light. With this spare and elegant cuff, Wings summons the spirits of the light and the summer rains in their own silvered waterfall. The band is wrought from sterling silver ingot, heavy and substantial, hand-rolled and -milled to create their own unified cascade of shimmering rain. One long drop flows down the band’s center, raised to stand above its peers; the others, more shy and subtle, flow gently down either side. The ingot band is buffed to a soft but discernible texture and a delicate finish just a hint off Florentine. The band is 7.25″ long by 7/8″ across (dimensions approximate).
Sterling silver
$465 + shipping, handling, and insurance
The second in this pair of works embodies a similar driving force, one we we tend to conceive as gentle but that is capable of destructive power in the most ordinary of ways. From its description in the same section of the same gallery:
Waves Cuff Bracelet
Beneath a fall of water and light, warm waves rock gently against the earth. Wings summons their soft dancing spirits with this cuff, hand-rolled and -milled of sterling silver ingot that shines like ripples on the surface of a quiet lake. The band is solid and substantial, milled to produce a crested wave down the center of its length, cradled gently by finer waves on either side. Its finish is buffed to a smooth texture and a soft polish just shy of Florentine. The band is 6.5″ long by 6/16″ wide (dimensions approximate).
Sterling silver
$445 + shipping, handling, and insurance
Perhaps not coincidentally, both speak also to the ways in which light moves: Like water, it falls upon the land; like water, it moves in waves through our world. And it is caught, held fast in these two works, then refracted out to shimmer into existence in a new way.
We live at the mercy of driving forces, it is true, but without them, we go nowhere: There is no existence without the light, the rain, the wind, the water. They do not always come at our convenience, so best to make ready to accommodate them on their schedule.
But this week’s forecast looks promising at the moment. Perhaps, today at least, we can speak their names, acknowledge their power, invite them in . . . and encourage them to direct just a little of that power our way.
~ Aji
All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2018; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.
