This large jar by Jacob Koopee is from 2001.  It is coil-built and painted with bee-weed (black) and clay slips. The jar has a narrow base, sloping sides, and a short neck with a turned out rim.  The top of the jar is painted with four eagle tails as the design. The black is bee-weed and it is highlighted with five other colors of clay.  Some are polished and some matte.  The variety of colors used in such a simple design draw the eye across the surface of the piece.  The jar is very tightly painted with thin lines.  It is actually the bottom of the jar for which Jacob was so pleased when he originally brought it into the gallery.  We would always discuss him using stippled (The little black dots) on the bottom of his pieces.  If he didn’t they had to be perfectly smooth and polished and it took more time. I remember when he brought in this jar and showed the perfection of the bottom half where it is perfectly smooth, polished, and wonderful to hold!  Jake was always challenging himself to create better and more unique pieces either in form or design.  This jar was traditionally fired to create the blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom, Koopee” and a flute player hallmark.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  Jake won numerous awards during his career including “Best of Show” in 2005 at both Santa Fe Indian Market and the Heard Museum Market.  I was lucky to have been a pottery judge both years at both events, and it was exciting to see an artist create such dynamic work.

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