WINGS: HANDS ON SILVER is holding a Happy Birthday Aji Sale to honor her birthday. The special deal is 20% off of everything in the gallery and today is the last day for this special sale, including Wings' work, which has NEVER been on sale before at Daily Kos. If you look at some of the higher priced jewelry, 20% off is a big deal…just in time for early bird shopping for your holidays.
Wings has something to fit everyone's budget and needs, whether you are looking for bracelets, earrings, belts, buckles, pill box, necklaces, pendants, pins, rings, or other collectibles.
For anyone who is a newcomer, Wings's primary medium is sterling silver from which he creates jewelry artwork using Native silversmithing techniques. His silverwork is hand-cut and hand-stamped, using only natural gemstones like turquoise, coral, garnet, onyx and other precious gifts from our earth. You can see from his jewelry that he draws his inspiration from the world around him: "A ray of light, a passing shadow, the movement of water that runs through the Pueblo, the flash of a dragonfly, the flicker of a bird's wings, like a gentle heartbeat, the strength and grace of a running horse, the healing beauty of sage and Indian paintbrush… and always, always the lessons left by the Ancient Ones who have gone before."
How to Buy From Wings on Silver or Contribute to Secret Santa for Sara and/or Ann
To purchase an item from WINGS: HANDS ON SILVER, please post a comment in my diary thread, and Aji will pm you with their postal address, or you can kosmail Aji. She will provide the mailing address so you can send a personal check to them.
There is no sales tax because they live on tribal land. However, people still need to pay shipping/handling/insurance.
There are also Secret Santa necklaces for Sara and Ann that have only been partially funded….so if you would like to contribute to their gifts, please pm Aji. Kitsap River has details and pictures in her diary.
If you like one-of-a kind silverwork or jewelry, you can have a field day at Wings Hand on Silver at Taos Pueblo in New Mexico.
Hard to see what all is available from this picture of his store, so my diary will give you a better look of SOME of his beautiful silverwork.
Bracelets are generally in the $100 to $500 range before the 20% sale, including these gems:
Wings's bracelet collection includes:
"Corn Beetle" Cuff Bracelet. This is not a new piece, but one that hasn't gotten much attention. That huge onyx cab is incredible - it's like looking into a deep black pool. Band, of course, is sterling silver. Regular price $425; at 20% off, $340 + shipping/handling/insurance:
"Elemental" Cuff Bracelet. Sterling silver and staurolite, in a naturally-occurring Four Directions pattern. Regular price $425; at 20% off, $340 + shipping/handling/insurance:
Baby bracelets! Actually, toddler-sized. Sterling silver cuffs made of smooth half-round wire. Amethyst on the left; snowflake obsidian and denim lapis on the right. He's also made adult-sized versions of each of these by special request, but at that size, they run close to $300. These are regularly priced $135 each; at 20% off, $108 each + shipping/handling/insurance:
If you really love an item that has been sold, Wings can do a commissioned version that will not be identical because each piece is unique. If you have an idea for a piece of jewelry, Wings also does commissioned work to bring your vision to life. Wings created these beautiful matching pendant and pin in the shape of turtles for internationally acclaimed author George R.R. Martin and his wife:
Do you like earrings?
"Sun Serpent" Earrings. Hand-cut, hand-stamped sterling silver. Regular price $235; at 20% off, $188 + shipping/handling/insurance:
Belts and Buckles
Two of Wings's newer belt buckles are designed to be worn by anyone.
"The Way of the Sun" Concha-Style Belt Buckle. Sterling silver and green turquoise. $525 + shipping/insurance.
"Sunburst Sky" Concha-Style Belt Buckle. Sterling silver and blue turquoise. $480 + shipping/insurance.
Necklaces, Pendants and Pins
"Buffalo Beads" sterling silver pendant on a multi-colored, multi-strand necklace of miniature trade-style beads. Regular price $225; at 20% off, $180 = shipping.handling/insurance.
Aji describes this piece, which is "a homage of sorts to two of our horses (Cree, the matriarch, and her daughter, Shade): It's their horse-hair that has been used to create the tassels (the 2nd tassel it is hard to see the dark horse hair in this picture with the dark background). The flask itself is two-sided, with identical stones and stampwork on each side, hand-domed and trimmed with twisted silver. The tobacco flask itself is a replica; it doesn't open, so that there's no fear of the bail coming apart and the pendant being lost."
"Horsetail Sky" Replica Tobacco Flask Necklace. Sterling silver; amethyst; horse-hair tassels; white deerhide thong. $425 + shipping/insurance.
Aji explains the creation of Buffalo's hair for this Buffalo Beads necklace: "As with the dragonflies' wings, similar miniature hand-stamping creates Buffalo's hair around his hump. The necklace, by our beadwork artisans, is made of several strands of tiny multi-color beads, with an emphasis on white. The beads are contemporary, but designed to look like old-style trade beads."
"Buffalo Beads" Necklace. Sterling silver and multi-color trade-style beads. $225 + shipping/insurance.
Wings has a number of signature designs for pins, including the Pueblo pin. No two are the same, which is incredible because Wings makes them for clients all over the world.
The Pueblo Pin is modeled on Taos Pueblo's famous North House, and includes hand-cut and hand-stamped traditional windows, doors, vigas (roof beams) and pine ladders.
"Tiwa Mist" Pueblo Pin. Sterling silver and blue opal triplet. $225 + shipping/insurance.
Rings
From Aji: The last of the new rings resembles a human figure - but its features are unclear, as is so often the case with spirit beings. Stacked garnet cabochons in saw-toothed bezels form the figure itself; the band is hand-stamped in swirling patterns.
"Red Spirit" Ring. Sterling silver and garnet. $150 + shipping/insurance.
Collectibles
Wings's newest collectibles piece is a small, hand-stamped pillbox with the outlines of a butterfly with spread wings.
"Butterfly Medicine" Pillbox. Sterling silver. $150 + shipping/insurance.
Sunglasses Holder. Sterling silver and Sleeping Beauty turquoise. Regular price $325; at 20% off, $260 + shipping/handling/insurance.
OTHER ARTISTS
Micaceous clay bowl by master potter Angie Yazzie, reviving an ancient "Four Sacred Directions" pattern. Was $525; marked down to $275 + shipping/handling/insurance as a special offer. Fragility requires special handling; extra shipping charges apply.
Micaceous clay turtle flask by Wings's late sister. about 7.5" high. Regular price $250; at 20% off, $200 + shipping/handling/insurance (fragile; extra shipping charges apply).
Corn Maiden miniature sculptures by Mark Swazo-Hinds (Tesuque Pueblo). there are four, each unique, each carved from pink sandstone and topped with Mark's trademark multi-colored macaw-feather bundles. From memory, sizes range from roughly 3" to 6" high. Regular prices range from $275 to $425; at 20% off, $220 to $340 + shipping/handling/insurance. Note: Due to weight, extra shipping charges apply.
Spiderweb alabaster bear sculptures by Mike Schildt (Taos Pueblo). The big guy is made from the single most beautiful piece of this stone that I've ever seen. Regular prices range from $225 to $450; at 20% off, that $180 to $360 + shipping/handling/insurance. Note: Due to weight, extra shipping charges apply. In the background, Ned Archuleta's "Taos Pueblo Mountain Trout." Why? As Wings, who took the photo, said, "Because bears like fish." Pink alabaster. Regular price $375; at 20% off, $300 + shipping/handling/insurance. Note: Due to weight/special handling needs, extra shipping charges apply.
Crow Mother Emerging from the Kiva. The newest katsina by Josh Aragon (Hopi/Laguna) in unique imagery I've seen only from Josh. Note landscape hand-painted on her blanket and kiva stone detail. Regular price is $585; at 20% off, $468 + shipping/handling/insurance. Note: Requires special handling; extra shipping charges apply.
Geronimo (or, more accurately, Goyathlay (the spelling of which is likewise not wholly accurate, being rendered into the English alphabet). By Pemwah, of Isleta Pueblo. Pastel on kava paper; barnwood frame. Visible image, 21.25" X 14.5"; frame 22.25" X 30.25" (dimensions approximate). Regular price $525; at 20% off, $420 + shipping/insurance (due to dimensions and need for special handling, extra shipping charges apply).
Dragonfly dancer watercolor by Tim Saupitty (Comanche); matted, framed, and behind glass. Visible image 29.5" high by 21.25" wide; including frame, 38" high by 30" wide (dimensions approximate). Due to small amount of very slight water damage in lower left corner, price reduced from $2,500 to $1,500; at 20% off, that's $1,200 + shipping/insurance (size and fragility require special handling; extra shipping charges apply).
From Wings's private collection, it's a real, functional bow and arrow set in a white deerhide quiver. Made by his brother-in-law, who is also from Taos Pueblo, it includes the traditional wooden bow, tipped and shafted arrows, and that incredible fringed leather quiver - all hand-made. Regular price is $895; at 20% off, it's $716 + shipping/insurance (extra shipping charges apply due to size and special handling needs).
If you see anything you'd like to buy, here's the how to box. No need to scroll back up my diary.
How to Buy From Wings on Silver
To purchase an item from WINGS: HANDS ON SILVER, please post a comment in my diary thread, and Aji will pm you with their postal address, or you can kosmail Aji. She will provide the mailing address so you can send a personal check to them.
There is no sales tax because they live on tribal land. However, people still need to pay shipping/handling/insurance.