On Wednesday, this space featured Wings’s newest work: one that melded his usual medium with a second precious metal to spectacular effect, combining sterling silver and polished brass with a bright yellow stone that holds the sunlight. And there is really only one possible option for today’s post: today’s featured items, a pair of finger cuffs that were, until now, his only works wrought in this same secondary metal, turning them into instant companion pieces to Wednesday’s earrings.
These rings are simplicity itself, plain brass bands molded to embrace one’s fingers, yet self-adjusting in design. They are yellow ribbons of another sort, slender rays of sunlight, caught and held and carried with the wearer throughout the day.
Predictably, they are not identical; Wings never duplicates any work exactly. The one shown above is a product of anticlastic forging, turning the band concave and flaring each edge gently upward toward the sun. It creates a small valley of light just like the one that bounds our land to the east, embracing the sun as it rises with the dawn. From its description in the Rings Gallery here on the site:
Dawn Magic Finger Cuff
The pale yellow of the dawn sky on a perfectly clear Pueblo day shines from the surface of this anticlastic ring. Traditional symbols are hand-stamped down the center of the band; its sides slope gently skyward. The finger-cuff design makes it easily and fully adjustable.
Brass
$105 + shipping, handling, and insurance
The other cuff is simpler, more spare, but glows no less. Like its companion, it’s a single band of brass stamped along the center with traditional symbols, but with edges left plain and smooth. It’s one of the rays of the sun, a shining ribbon to wrap around one’s finger. From its description:
Sunlight Finger Cuff
Capture the golden glow of the noonday sun and keep it always at hand with this simple brass ring. Traditional symbols accent the center of the clean, elegant band; a Florentine finish creates a warm, diffuse glow. The finger-cuff design keeps it easily adjustable for any finger.
Brass
$95 + shipping, handling, and insurance
When I arose at five-thirty, its namesake was beginning its daily journey, its glow already radiating bright and clear from behind the peaks. Within the hour, the it was fully up and clear of any earth-bound impediments, spilling liquid golden light across a land now lush and green.
These are among the sparest designs Wings has ever created, and yet, they hold such shining power. Paired with the earrings from Wednesday, they array the wearer in the light and warmth of Father Sun.
After several gray and stormy weeks, their imagery is more than welcome here today — like the bright clear sky and warm winds outside, it feels like a gift of the spirits.
All content, including photos and text, are copyright Wings and Aji, 2016; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owners.
