This is a striking and very unusual jar Iris Nampeyo.  She was a daughter of Fannie Nampeyo and well known for her elegant asymmetrical vessels with corn as part of the design in relief.  Iris began using corn in relief on the surface of her pottery in the early 1980s. The corn is symbolic of being part of the Corn Clan.  The surface of the jar is stone polished and it is her famous “mauve” coloration.  Iris found a local clay that could be polished and would fire a mauve or, nearly purple, coloration.  This is a beautiful example of this color in her pottery and one that is rarely seen! The jar has a single ear of corn in matte on the surface.  The husk is sharp-edged and matte with sections that extend around the jar.  The opening is slightly asymmetrical which is in keeping with the organic style of the form.  There are simplicity and elegance in her pottery. Iris’s pottery remains a classic among Hopi-Tewa pottery.  This jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Iris Nampeyo” and it is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.