Namingha, Les – “Quilted Clay” Wide Shoulder Jar (1998)
$ 3,300.00
This is a classic wide shoulder jar by Les Namingha. Les is both Zuni and Hopi-Tewa, and this jar is from the late 1990s, and it is made from Hopi clay and painted with bee-weed and clay slip. The jar has a series of designs that Les says were inspired by the quilting done by his mother. All the various scraps of cloth that she had created the idea for this piece. If you look closely, one of the sections has a spider web, representing the “spider woman” who taught people to weave. The top has all different colors of clay that are polished, along with areas that have pointillism to create additional layers of color. What’s amazing is that the piece has great texture from the various layers of clay used for the coloration. The jar was traditionally fired to create the blushes and coloration on the surface of the piece. As usual, Les is quite extraordinary in his creativity, painting, and forms. Les is a descendant of Nampeyo of Hano and learned to make pottery from his aunt Dextra Quotskuyva. It is signed on the bottom, “Les Namingha”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.
In stock
This is a classic wide shoulder jar by Les Namingha. Les is both Zuni and Hopi-Tewa, and it is not often that he has made Zuni-inspired pieces. This jar is from the late 1990s, and it is made from Hopi clay and painted with bee-weed and clay slip. The jar has a painted parrot and one of the tail feathers of the bird is carved into the clay. There is another feather from the wing that swirls outward around the shoulder that is also carved. Opposite the parrot is a geometric Sikyatki bird. There is an additional feather from the parrot that swirls down to the base. Les and Steve Lucas both made these carved pieces in the late 1990s. They are an interesting variation in their style and technique. This jar was traditionally fired to create the blushes on the surface. As usual, Les is quite extraordinary in his creativity, painting, and forms. Les is a descendant of Nampeyo of Hano and learned to make pottery from his aunt Dextra Quotskuyva. It is signed on the bottom, “Les Namingha”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.
