Namingha, Les – Wide Jar with Painted Birds, Clouds and Incised Designs (1990s)

This jar by Les Namingha is a traditional piece of his work from the 1990s.  It is coil-built from Hopi clay painted with bee-weed and natural clay slips and traditionally fired.  The jar is fully polished and on the top it is painted with clouds, stylized birds, and geometric shapes.  Les learned to make pottery from his aunt, Dextra Qutoskuyva.  He quickly developed his own style and it was a more modernist approach to the art. This jar reflects the thematic evolution of his pottery before he began to use acrylic paints.  The clouds are pointillism in design with white clay.  There are polished red areas and matte red areas. On the bottom of the jar there is another stylized bird along with a large section that is incised into the clay.  It is a striking combination of his creative designs and tight painting and polishing.  The jar has blushes from the traditional firing.  It is signed, “Les Namingha” and note the polished swirl on the base, which is how he signed his early work.  The jar is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.