"Solstice Light," a new masterwork by Wings.

Photo copyright Aji, 2019; all rights reserved.

It's a few weeks later than originally intended; when he began this project, he was on track to have it ready and posted on the summer solstice. Unfortunately, life interfered, in the form of other people whose actions were beyond our control, but it kept him mostly out of the studio for weeks on end, much to his dismay. At any rate, it is now finished, and the magic and medicine of it still hold: Solstice Light, a new masterwork by Wings.

And when I say "masterwork," I'm not exaggerating, not even a little bit. This is a butterfly concha belt to end them all, one wrought in actual butterflies, not metaphorically-named spacer pieces. And the butterflies are all cut freehand, really fine cutwork that's amazingly uniform. The stampwork floats on an Art Nouveau sensibility, and the cabs . . . the tiger's eye cabs all have truly remarkable chatoyance. The focal cab on the belt buckle is in a class by itself: Dominican blue amber, and while the "blue" is mostly in the name, you can see the occasional hint if you tilt it to the light just right. The amber itself, though, is pure magic. The belt is stamped in a repeating medicine symbol, and the whole piece is as transcendent as the light for which it's named.

I cannot tell you how much I love this belt. I have a coppery dress that would pick up the color of the stones perfectly. But it's meant to have a home elsewhere. You can read the full description and see additional close-ups of the silverwork at its entry in the Belts Gallery at NDN Silver; inquiries and orders via the Contact form.



All content, including photos and text, are copyright Aji, 2019; all rights reserved. Nothing herein may used or reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the owner.