It’s only mid-August, the monsoon season in full swing, and yet the leading edge of autumn is already here. More than a week ago, the leaves on the northwest side of the aspens had already begun to fade; the mornings are definitively cold, and the air carries a sharp edge even in the warmest part of the day.
And a few days ago, I saw what appeared to be evidence of a bear’s early-morning visit.
If so, they are extraordinarily early this year — and yet, despite the late arrival of both spring and summer, all signs point to early winter, so perhaps they know best after all.
Over the last week or two, we’ve seen another change that is ordinarily reserved for fall: the appearance of brilliantly-hued, intensely-lit skies at dawn. On recent mornings, the sunrise casts aside the black of night to rise above the peaks and roll across the heavens, unspooling like a blanket of reds and corals and oranges and golds, all lit from all sides by every metallic shade imaginable — silver, bronze, copper.
These are the colors of today’s featured work, one Wings completed only this afternoon that was inspired by the accelerated arrival of spirits of season and sunrise. From its description in the Bracelets Gallery here on the site:
Dawn Bears Coil Bracelet
Late summer and early autumn are the season of the bears, and the fiery hour of dawn is their time. Here, two small Southwestern hump-backed bears emerge to search for sustenance around a hoop of the world dressed in the colors of the sunrise. The hoop itself is a spiral of memory wire, designed to fit nearly any wrist and retain its shape. either end is anchored by segments of African beads in nickel silver and bronze, leading inward toward alternating segments of faceted copper barrel beads and heishi-style disc beads in brilliantly dyed crimson-colored coral. The center section is flanked by short segments of polished jet disc beads, while toward either end lumbers a single larger bead, each in the form of a bright red bear made of dyed howlite. Joint design by Wings and Aji. Another view shown below.
Memory wire; nickel silver; bronze; copper; jet; dyed coral; dyed howlite*
$195 + shipping, handling, and insurance
* Note: The lower price of this coil bracelet reflects the lower value of the materials used. Nickel silver is a copper alloy containing nickel and zinc, but no silver. The bears beads are made of howlite and dyed scarlet; the coral is genuine, but has dyed to enhance and standardize its red color.
Side view, showing jet and copper beads:
Like the coil bracelet we featured in this spot a couple of weeks ago, this one also uses some of the beads that Wings has accumulated over the years that would not ordinarily find a place in his work: mass-produced, modestly priced stone beads that have been dyed to alter and enhance their color. Dyed howlite is not inherently especially valuable, but it absorbs brilliant shades effectively and makes for beautiful and bright jewel-toned accents.
Similarly, in his ordinary body of work, he avoids the use of color-enhanced stones, shell, and coral, but it’s popular for what used to be called costume jewelry, and once in a while, he’ll incorporate some of it in order to create a modestly-priced work such as this one. I should note here that the coral itself was red in its natural state, but pale; some artists and their clients prefer bright shades, even if they are achieved synthetically, and this preference drives the market for dyed coral (and turquoise, as well). Here, the coral is interspersed with natural materials such as jet, copper, and paired segments of indigenous African beads from a supplier we know in Santa Fe.
Taken together, they all work to augment the natural power of the two tiny bears. Here, Bear is known as an agent of power, and his spirit transcends even such small barriers as a little red dye — particularly now, when we are (however early) entering his season of the year, the time when he emerges to rise with the sun.
~ Aji
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.
