Naha, Rainy – Solstice Design and Awatovi Star

8"w x 5"h

$ 1,600.00

This is a complex jar by Rainy Naha.  She learned to make pottery from her mother, Helen “Featherwoman” Naha.  Rainy continues is a similar style using a white clay slip as the foundation for her work.  This jar is a classic Sikyatki style with a wide sloping shoulder.  The jar is slipped with white clay and then painted with natural clay slips and bee-weed (black).  The design on the jar combines two of Rainy’s most famous patterns. There is the Awatovi Star in at the very top of the bowl.  Awatovi was a village near Hopi which created black-on-white pottery and it was revived by Rainy’s mother. The spikes of the star are the hatchwork designs in black-on-white.  Separating the spikes of the star are four of the solstice panels with the four phases of the moon.  Around the shoulder is a band of Hopi-Tewa designs including an eternity design, snow rain, and colors representing the four directions. Do you notice something new on this jar? Look at the bottom layer of design and there are tan polished areas!  This is one of the first times she has used this color of clay and polished it into her designs. It’s a beautiful color!  Overall, there are seven different colors used on this jar!  It is signed on the bottom with her name and feather hallmark.