Lucas, Steve – Jar with Nampeyo Bird Wing Patterns

9"w x 4.5"h

$ 2,200.00

This is a striking jar by Steve Lucas.  He is one of the leading Hopi-Tewa potters working today.  Each piece is coil built, stone polished, painted with native clay slips and bee-weed (black) and traditionally fired.  Steve has won “Best of Show” at Santa Fe Indian Market and his work remains some of the most refined and creative.  Steve said that he saw a similar design on a piece by Nampeyo of Hano and wanted to create his own interpretation of the imagery.  There are larger bird wings which point inward to the “back” of the bird.  Separating the wing pairs are bird tail designs.  The designs are very tightly painted and use a deep red and yellow clay for the polished surface.  The rim of the jar has a polished red clay slip.  The piece was traditionally fired creating blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “S. Lucas” and a mudhead (koyemsi) and an ear of corn (corn clan).