This is an exceptional carved storage jar shaped vessel by James Ebelacker.  He is a son of noted potter Virginia Ebelacker.  He is known for his large vessels and this jar is a striking piece of his pottery.  It is a classic storage jar shape with a round shoulder and slightly turned out rim.  The storage jar from is not just a difficult one to coil build and create a “round” shape, but the resulting vessel has an exceptional amount of space for carving.  The neck of the jar is slipped with a micaceous clay and the body of the jar is very deeply carved. There are cloud, rain and lightning designs.  What’s interesting is not just how he carved them, but also how they are polished. He carved the jar with a lot of open space, which created much more intricate design patterns and sections. The polishing was done so that the edges of the carving has a soft slope instead of the usual edge.  This style of carving is reminiscent of his aunt Jennie Trammel’s carving and polishing.  The jar is fired a striking red in coloration.  The contrast of the complex designs, the matte and polished surfaces and the micaceous rim make for an exceedingly varied and unique jar.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay.  His work can be found in museums throughout the southwest and most recently in the book, “Spoken Through Clay”.