Description

Helen Naha – Featherwoman- created distinctive pottery using the white clay slip throughout her career. Early in her career she was known for her stark black-on-white Hopi pottery, and later she moved to creating her exquisite polychrome designs. All of her designs were painted using bee-weed (black) and natural clay slips.  Although she learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law, Paqua Naha, Featherwoman had her own style in form, imagery and composition.

This jar has a wonderful shape with a low shoulder with an elongated neck.  The design is the eagle tail pattern.  Note the wonderful bold lines of her painting. The interior of the jar is fully hand polished, something most potters do not do except on bowls. The rim of this jar has a very soft hint of the orange paint mixed in with the white slip, which gives a slight contrast to the inner and outer neck.  This is a sign of a potter who went beyond the ordinary. The jar has been traditionally fired and there is some minor variation to the color due to fire clouds, which certainly adds to the beauty of the piece. The bottom of the vase has her hallmark glyph – a feather

Condition:  Excellent – original condition. The jar has a few minor abrasions appropriate for its age.
Provenance: Purchased from a private collector