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Author Topic: My New Swords  (Read 4190 times)

Altair

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My New Swords
« on: February 06, 2017, 10:46:17 pm »
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live.



First of the two is the left-hand sword, Excelsior, sword of reason. It symbolizes pure thought—flexible, rational, imaginative. The inscription, “vola alte”, is Latin for “fly high” and is the first half of my personal motto.



The second, for the right hand, is Executor, sword of resolve. (Pronounced “eks-ZEK-you-tur”—stress on the second syllable, just like Excelsior.) It symbolizes the determination to take those lofty thoughts and translate them into reality. Its inscription, “fac ut mundus sequatur”, means “make the world follow” in Latin and is the second half of my motto, “Fly high and make the world follow”. The full motto is displayed when the swords are crossed.



The wing engraved on Executor has detailing to suggest substance, vs. the open and airy wing on Excelsior, like the intangibility of pure thought…the idea being that one needs both wings to truly fly.



(And gosh, if the names of the swords, besides being apt to their roles, shamelessly poach mythic resonance from a certain legendary sword of some repute, I have no idea how that happened)

The winged crossguard is one of Omega Artworks' standard designs that happened to match what I'd envisioned perfectly. The pommel on both is my signature: my personal sigil (a stylized bird in flight) surrounded by Arabic calligraphy that says “the flying eagle”—al-nasr al-ta’ir—which is the phrase from which the star Altair gets its name.



Gary and Suzy Zahradka, the folks behind Omega Artworks who created the Wings of the East for me, have outdone themselves, and like Jenett I highly recommend them if you have a custom piece you crave. It’s not cheap. But true artwork shouldn’t be.
« Last Edit: February 06, 2017, 10:54:35 pm by Altair »
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Amphibian

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2017, 11:23:06 pm »
Quote from: Altair;202403
swords

 
Dear gods, but those are gorgeous. Artwork, indeed.
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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2017, 11:30:52 pm »
Quote from: Altair;202403
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live.

 
They are GORGEOUS. And very you, at least in terms of my perspective of knowing you.

I also note with interest that they can be said to be a response to the 'should knives/swords be associated with East/Air, or South/Fire?' thing, in that Excelsior is all about the classic East/Air/thought/knowledge/reason association, while Executor is strongly flavored with the action/Will associations more usually attached to South/Fire - still a thing of Air, but not of Air alone.

Whether that's consciously intentional or not, or whether it's even relevant for you, I don't know, but I mention it so that if it is useful to you, in whatever way, you have it.

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2017, 12:00:45 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live.

Gary and Suzy Zahradka, the folks behind Omega Artworks who created the Wings of the East for me, have outdone themselves, and like Jenett I highly recommend them if you have a custom piece you crave. It’s not cheap. But true artwork shouldn’t be.


These are gorgeous and have me all like:


Just kidding, but seriously, thank you for sharing. I love the symbolism and the thought put into them.


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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2017, 06:57:18 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
...


Wow.  Damn.  

That is all.
You have my sword
And my shield
And my... um... slacks.

Altair

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2017, 08:03:26 am »
Quote from: SunflowerP;202406
They are GORGEOUS. And very you, at least in terms of my perspective of knowing you.


Yes, much in the same way that Jenett's athame is very much a reflection of her.

Quote

I also note with interest that they can be said to be a response to the 'should knives/swords be associated with East/Air, or South/Fire?' thing, in that Excelsior is all about the classic East/Air/thought/knowledge/reason association, while Executor is strongly flavored with the action/Will associations more usually attached to South/Fire - still a thing of Air, but not of Air alone.

Whether that's consciously intentional or not, or whether it's even relevant for you, I don't know, but I mention it so that if it is useful to you, in whatever way, you have it.


You nailed it. It wasn't conscious at first, but over the years I've come to recognize and accept that for me, the concept of will shades between East/Air and South/Fire, a combination of decisive, focused thought and the energy of action.

One of the things I love about these swords is that their very existence is proof of those principles--they were pure concepts in my head, until I turned that idea into reality. For me (who usually has little or no relationship with magic), that makes these swords infused with the deepest enchantment.
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Jenett

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2017, 09:17:29 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live.

 
Those are stunning. I'm totally not surprised, mind, because they do do excellent work. I'm so glad they were able to do what you'd had in your head for so long.
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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2017, 09:36:33 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East.

 
Those are breathtaking!
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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2017, 02:02:49 am »
Quote from: Kylara;202428
Those are breathtaking!
Agreed with everyone else, those are spectacular. Thank you for sharing them!

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2017, 06:28:27 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live.


Those swords are fantastic -- both in design and workmanship.
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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2017, 11:38:23 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
Gary and Suzy Zahradka, the folks behind Omega Artworks who created the Wings of the East for me, have outdone themselves, and like Jenett I highly recommend them if you have a custom piece you crave. It’s not cheap. But true artwork shouldn’t be.


Those. are. stunning.

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2017, 10:07:51 am »
Quote from: Altair;202403
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live.


 
"Gorgeous" just doesn't seem to cover it but it will have to do - these are absolutely stunning. Beautiful. Just...wow.

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2017, 05:28:51 pm »
Quote from: Altair;202403

Hey, Altair!

I just stopped by to see them at Paganicon again this year, and they were very enthusiastically delighted at me that you loved the blades, and that they turned out like you'd wanted.

(So, passing the mutual admiration along, because that's fun.)
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Altair

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2017, 07:02:39 pm »
Quote from: Jenett;203852
Hey, Altair!

I just stopped by to see them at Paganicon again this year, and they were very enthusiastically delighted at me that you loved the blades, and that they turned out like you'd wanted.

(So, passing the mutual admiration along, because that's fun.)


Oh most excellent! If you see them again before Paganicon is done, please give them my regards
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

Altair

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Re: My New Swords
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2017, 11:44:16 pm »
Employing the same artisans who created Jenett's gorgeous athame, I came home today to my own newly completed custom-made artifacts, the Wings of the East. I’ve long wanted these twin swords, of a design that has evolved in my head over many years, to symbolize the way I strive to live....

Gary and Suzy Zahradka, the folks behind Omega Artworks who created the Wings of the East for me, have outdone themselves, and like Jenett I highly recommend them if you have a custom piece you crave. It’s not cheap. But true artwork shouldn’t be.

Since the images have all disappeared (damn you, Photobucket, and your mercilessly mercantile new policies!), here's a link to Omega Artworks' website, where I just discovered they've posted some of the very same pics of Excelsior and Executor that I'd originally incorporated in this thread.

http://www.omegaartworks.com/portfolio.php?art=646
The first song sets the wheel in motion / The second is a song of love / The third song tells of Her devotion / The fourth cries joy from the sky above
The fifth song binds our fate to silence / and bids us live each moment well / The sixth unleashes rage and violence / The seventh song has truth to tell
The last song echoes through the ages / to ask its question all night long / And close the circle on these pages / These, the metamythos songs

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