Sahme, Jean – Tall Jar with Bird Designs (2000s)

5.5"w x 9.5"h

$ 1,800.00

Jean Sahme is a daughter of noted potter Priscilla Nampeyo and a descendant of Nampeyo of Hano. This tall jar is coil built, thin-walled, and painted with bee-weed and red clay slips.  This jar has straight sides and a short neck.  This is a difficult form to create to have the sides remain straight and even. The entire surface is fully polished, even the inside of the cannister!  The jar is painted with bee-weed (a plant) and two different red clay slips.  The jar has four sections of design. Two sections have a classic spiraling bird with tail feathers extending up to the rim.  There are additional stylized birds and then an elongated bird in the Nampeyo style.  The birds are all tightly painted and colorful.  The jar was traditionally fired which created blushes on the surface.  It is signed on the bottom with her hallmark fish, corn plant for the Corn clan, and “Sak’honsee” (which means Tobacco Flower Girl in Hopi-Tewa).  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  While Jean no longer makes pottery, there is wonderful creativity in each of her pieces!