Helen Shupla is certainly most famous for her exceptional melon jars.  However, she is also known for her creative carved vessels. This tall jar and it is fully carved on the sides.  There are two sections with large swirling birds.  Separating them are corn plants.  Take a closer look at the birds and they definitely have a Hopi style to them in design and form.  That is because her husband, Kenneth Shupla, was from Hopi and he carved all of her pottery!  As a result, the carved piece by Helen often combine both Hopi and Santa Clara pueblo designs.  The jar is from the 1970s and it is highly polished and fired a deep black.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Helen Santa Clara Pueblo”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.