Polychrome Jar With Incised Designs [R]

Tom Polacca is a very talented potter from a very talented family of potters. He is the grandson of Nampeyo of Hano and the son of Fannie Nampeyo. He started making pottery around 1955, at which time he produced the traditional Sikyatki revival style so popular with the Nampeyo family. Eventually he developed a very unique style incorporating Sikyatki design elements but in a non-traditional manner.

All of his pottery was formed in the traditional coil method. The basic vessel was slipped in an apparent rag-wiped light tan slip revealing various shades of the color. The design was carved into the clay using a variety of techniques—deep carving for the outlines, shallow carving for details, and incising for highlights. He then used basic vegetal and mineral paints in rust, brown and tan colors as his palette.

In this exquisite vessel, Polacca used eagle feathers throughout the design. With these, he added cloud and lightning elements, eyes from Katsina masks, rays of the Sun, and sections of the earth. He incorporated many elements of particular importance to the Hopi people—land, sky, rain, eagles, and Katsinas.

This jar is signed Tom Polacca 92. It is in excellent condition.