Artist Media Series
Living Artists
Historic
Shupla, Helen – Small Black Melon Jar with 14 Ribs (1979)
5.5"w x 4"h
$ 1,600.00
Helen Shupla is certainly most famous for her exceptional melon jars. Her melon jars are the very traditional form with the ribs pushed out in the clay. This melon jar is one of her classic shapes with the round body and the slight neck. The neck was a later development in her pottery forms. Each of the 14 ribs are pushed out into the clay. She would do this by placing her fingers inside the bowl and pushing against the clay from both the inside and outside! Can you see the slight angle to each section? This is how she would turn her hand as she was pushing against the clay to create the separate ribs! The entire piece is fully polished and fired black. It is signed on the bottom, “Helen Shupla”. The piece was made in 1979 and it has the original invoice from Deer Dancer gallery in Denver, CO. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
In stock
Description
Helen Shupla is certainly most famous for her exceptional melon jars. Her melon jars are the very traditional form with the ribs pushed out in the clay. This melon jar is one of her classic shapes with the round body and the slight neck. The neck was a later development in her pottery forms. Each of the 14 ribs are pushed out into the clay. She would do this by placing her fingers inside the bowl and pushing against the clay from both the inside and outside! Can you see the slight angle to each section? This is how she would turn her hand as she was pushing against the clay to create the separate ribs! The entire piece is fully polished and fired black. It is signed on the bottom, “Helen Shupla”. It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.
Learn More
