Youngblood, Mela – 8″ Tall Jar with Carved Avanyu (1978)

This is an exceptional and iconic jar by Mela Youngblood.  The piece is coil-built, carved, and stone-polished.  The design is a deeply carved avanyu that encircles the entire jar.  Note the depth of the carving and the contrast of the matte area surrounding the avanyu.  If you look closely, you can see how Mela was known for the rounded edges of her carved designs.  The neck, base and avanyu are all highly polished and the piece was traditionally fired to a glassy black.  It is signed on the bottom, “Mela Youngblood”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   There is an original invoice inside when it was purchase in 1978.

Brand

Youngblood, Mela (1931-1990)

Mela Youngblood began making pottery in the late 1960s and quickly achieved a distinctive style for her work. As an artist, Mela took the process of making her pottery very seriously. She decided that each piece she made had to be perfect, a trait which she passed on to her children, Nathan Youngblood and Nancy Youngblood. Mela was a daughter of Margaret Tafoya and the mother of Nathan Youngblood and Nancy Youngblood. Of all of Margaret's daughters, she was the first to create a storage jar that survived the firing process. Mela made pottery for such a short time, so it is always exciting to see her distinctive pieces of influential pottery!