Namingha, Les – “Life Layers” Contemporary Jar

6"w x 8"h

$ 3,000.00

This is an intricately painted jar by Les Namingha.  It is not often that he does smaller pieces with such amazing amounts of design.  The designs on this jar are layered, but incorporate many of years or “layers” of design in the evolution of Les’s work over the years.  The top layers are the Sikyatki or Hopi birds.  They are filled with various Hopi-Tewa designs.  The colors of the birds vary as the jar is turned.  Look a bit deeper and you can see areas of pointillism, which was an early technique Les used on his pottery.  One area near the base has pointillism with bird migration lines.  Another is a circular swirl.  There are triangular Hopi-Tewa patterns in contrast to a series of concentric circles representing time and the rising and setting sun.  There is a lot happening on the jar and yet it has a creative flow across the surface so that as it is turned, it is almost like having several pieces in one.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Les Namingha  2020”.  Les says of his pieces which have layering:

“The concept of layering is inherent in our mortal journey. As time moves forward, our memories become layered. Some memories remain vibrant, others faint or hazy. Yet others, obscure or even hidden. Likewise, our experiences, words, works, emotions, prayers, and songs build up in layers creating our existence. In turn, our social interactions become exercises in layering. We see this in evidence with street art or graffiti writing where layers of thought and a desire to express a “proof of existence” create tapestries of color and marks. Blending, covering, harmonizing, dissonance, disappearing. This concept of layering is the idea behind Urban Polychrome and other works in the Urban Series.”  Les Namingha