Les Namingha continues to creatively evolve his pottery style.  This is one of his new carved vessels.  The top of the jar is very deeply carved with Hopi-style birds painted in black with white paint in the carved areas. This style is inspired by the traditional black-on-red with white outline style of Hopi pottery (see the last photo).  Here, Les has modernized this style and used white as the color inside the carving.  Below the shoulder is a wavy mountain pattern with the painted bear paws below.  On the bottom of the bowl painted in blue is a spiraling water design.  Together, the bowl tells a wonderful story of the birds, bears, and water.    Les Namingha remains one of those potters who continues to defy expectations in his innovative clay art.  He pulls from his artistic background as well as his Zuni and Hopi heritage.  The jar is signed on the bottom.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.