“Slow Swirl” Meteorite Cuff by Victoria Maase Stoll
This INCREDIBLE cuff is based on one of Stoll’s favorite paintings, a lesser known Rothko painting “Slow Swirl at the Edge of the Sea.”
Without even knowing the stones a viewer of this amazing cuff can perceive a serene calm. The two large stones in the center, like Rothko’s people, are two extraordinary pieces that are literally otherworldly. They are meteorites. Sturdy silver vines anchor them to the cuff. A crown of silver fire, feathers, or thought encompass the head of one figure. This crown perhaps suggests that the wearers of the cuff are welcome to their own interpretation. A comforting swirl of 18k gold weaves gracefully between the couple. They float above a sea scape, untouched by its turbulence. Above them is an 18k gold cross that seems to symbolize balance. To one side, salt sea spray swirls around fossilized Ammonite, as it sits below another three sided cross. On the other side of the cuff, a pearl, once a mere grain of sand, emerges victorious from the tumultuous ocean waves. A diamond star encased in gold shines light on the belief that Goodness and Truth endure even amid chaos.
A few important aspects stand out in the Rothko painting. First, and most obvious, is the surreal characteristic of the painting. The two people are abstract and simple although beautiful. Second, the painting had an interestingly translucent appearance. It appears to be watercolor. It is not. It is oil. Third, the swirls in the painting create a sense of movement. But yet, there is a sense of calm. Lastly, and most importantly, the painting hints at the divine and otherworldly. According to Rothko’s son the figures in the picture, male and female, are most likely Rothko and his second wife, Mell. Rothko painted this piece nearing the end of the Second World War just as humanity witnessed the atrocities that evil could inflict upon the earth. Rothko himself, afraid of anti-Semitism changed his last name from Rothkowitz to Rothko. Yet, Even as he was faced with the evil of humanity, the sufferings of so many people, and the fear of what might befall him, he painted this masterpiece. In so doing, he provided a glimpse of a divine and eternal peace even in the face of trauma and suffering.
While I’m not exactly sure what Victoria feels about the painting itself, besides the fact that it is one of her favorites, but her newest cuff produces in me the same calm and centered feelings that The Rothko does. Victoria’s piece is naturally called “Slow Swirl.”
Bottom of Cuff is 5 1/2 inches with 1 1/2 inch gap
top of cuff is 5 1/2 with 1 inch gap.
The cuff is lined in leather and can be gently opened and closed.
