Naha, Rainy – Jar with Eagle Tail Designs

Rainy Naha 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 thin walled and very detailed in the painted designs.  The rim of the jar is painted with deep red clay.  The eagle tail designs extend downward from the top of the shoulder.  Each of the tails are composed of various Hopi designs.  Note how Rainy has used over four different clay colors to achieve the dynamic appearance of the designs!  Few potters spend the time to seek out so many colors and few are able to use them with such skill!  Rainy uses natural clay slips (bee-weed for the black) and a white kaolin clay.  Each of her pieces is also traditionally fired which gives the white a very pearlescent appearance.  It is signed on the bottom with a feather and “Rainy”.