We sit, today, in the shadow of the storm: sky as white as the snow that drifts from its in fits and starts, an impotent wind howling at the edges, lacking force enough to spawn the blizzard that hides in the clouds above it. And so the storm, stalled, waits mostly in silence overhead, as we wait below for it descend or pass, as it chooses.
It is a dull gray day, sky and air alike the color of unpolished pewter. There is light, no question, and yet our world here feels dark.
Father Sun is present, but his face is eclipsed by the clouds.
This disjunct between what seems and what is reinforced my notion that today’s featured work was the apt choice. From its description in the Earrings Gallery here on the site:
Eclipse Earrings
In traditional cultures, an eclipse — whether of the sun or of the moon — is an event of great symbolism and power. In some, they are omens of great and beneficial change; in others, warnings of dark days ahead. In all cultures, their practical effect is the same: to veil the light that shines upon our path. With these earrings, Wings honors the imagery of the eclipse, a shadowy black image that passes in front of the face of sun or moon, while still reminding us that the light is not gone: Its rays still shine from behind the shadow. Here, glossy black onyx cabochons form the shadow, perfect dark orbs like pools of liquid jet. Each is set in a scalloped bezel at the center of a round sterling silver concha, the radiating corona of light. The conchas are meticulously cut freehand with a tiny jeweler’s saw to create the blossom-like “rays” that edge each earring. Each is then hand-stamped in a chased pattern, concentric circles of traditional symbols that evoke the image of the moon and the rays of the sun. Finally, the conchas are domed by hand in the traditional manner, repoussé-fashion, to create depth and refract the light. Settings are 1.5″ across; cabochons are .75″ across (dimensions approximate).
Sterling silver; onyx
$825 + shipping, handling, and insurance
I had originally planned to highlight this work today as a continuation of one of the themes explored this week in this space: illumination in the dark, the guidance given to us in visions and dreams even in blackest hours of night. But today has reminded me that there are times when light itself fails to illumine, when even the palest of shadows can neutralize the sun.
In our cultures, eclipses tend to be understood as moments of great elemental power, times when the usual rules of existence either no longer apply, or when their force and effect are intensified by orders of magnitude. It’s a useful lesson to keep in mind: After all, it is at those times when we live and work in the shadow that our actions often have the greatest consequences. That seems to be true whether we labor in the shadow out of humility, or hide in it from shame or fear; one produces beneficial effects outsized to our seeming influence; the other, more destructive results that could perhaps be otherwise avoided.
And then there are the shadows not of our own making, those cast by forces more powerful than we. Sometimes, the best that we can do is to wait for a shift in the light, acting only once the darkness has passed. Sometimes, the work is required of us even when the path is forbidding and unclear. At such times, our task is to seek as much illumination as possible, to find the light that still exists beyond the shadow, even when the shadow is most of what we see.
Today, here, the shadow itself is invisible; the clouds veil the light with such pale opacity that no shadow is birthed by their union. The path is clear in the physical sense; confusing and distorted in a less tangible one. But whether the promised snow deigns to visit in any real way or not, the grass beneath its crystalline edges is green and lush, and the mercury is expected to rise once again to spring-like temperatures tomorrow.
And, the prophets of the weather tell us, Father Sun will show his face clearly once again.
~ Aji
All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2017; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owners.
