It is not often the we see such a detailed smaller bowl by Helen Naha with such a classic design.  Helena Naha,  also known as “Feather Woman”, created distinctive pottery using the white clay slip throughout her career.  The designs were all painted using bee-weed (black) and natural clay slips.  She learned to make pottery from her mother-in-law, Paqua Naha yet had her own style in form, imagery and composition.  Helen is known for her revival of the pre-historic Awatovi pottery.   Awatovi is one of the ruins near Hopi where a white slipped style of pottery was made.  It is a fascinating place as it was where Coronado made contact with the Hopi in 1540.  During the excavations in the 1930’s the whiteware pottery was rediscovered.  It was the imagery from his work which inspired much of Helen’s early pottery, as opposed the more classic Sikyatki inspired pottery of Nampeyo.  This bowl has the “Awatovi Star” pattern painted on the top and the bottom.  Around the shoulder is her “eternity band” design.  The bowl has been traditionally fired and there is some variation to the color with the fired cloud, which certainly adds to the beauty of the piece.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed on the bottom with her hallmark feather.