Les Namingha is 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.  This jar is inspired by the classic Zuni pottery shapes and designs.  The olla shape with the high shoulder and sloping mouth has the perfect Zuni form.  What is hard to see from the photos is the edge at the top of the shoulder that dips down before the rise to the neck and the very tiny turned out neck!  Amazing!  The designs are birds and rainbirds (which are the fineline style swirls) extend around the jar in the panels.  Note as well the small feather patterns which are also found around the surface of the entire piece!  There are two vertical bands which have fineline geometric and rain patterns.  What works so well on this piece is the checkerboard pattern on the base and the rim. That little turn out of the rim is hard to see but connects the jar to the past but still contemporary.  Overall, a wonderful combination of Zuni designs made modern!  It is always exciting to see how Les continues to revive Zuni pottery with his forms and designs!