(1707-02) Important Helen Shupla (1928-1985) Redware Melon Jar signed and dated 12-7-79
Important Helen Shupla Redware Melon Jar signed and dated 12-7-79
Circa 1979
6 1/2 x 4 3/4 inches
A high-quality example of Helen Shupla's famous melon jar in redware form.
The red melon jar, a testament to the artistic prowess of Santa Clara artisan Helen Shupla, is characterized by its high polish and impeccable shape. Helen's innovative creativity and exceptional skill earned her numerous accolades for her uniquely shaped and polished bowls and jars.
Crafting a melon jar is a meticulous task, requiring the artist to know exactly how much outward pressure to apply to form the undulating ribs. Excessive pressure can lead to cracks, ruining the piece. Helen, however, had mastered the delicate balance of shaping and polishing these jars to perfection.
Born at Santa Clara Pueblo in 1928, Helen Baca Shupla married Kenneth Shupla, a Hopi katsina doll carver. The couple resided at Santa Clara Pueblo. Helen was proficient in firing redware and blackware, and she was renowned for her ability to create pots with a flawless polish. Her works are so esteemed that they grace the cover of Stephen Trimble's book on pueblo pottery, "Talking with the Clay: The Art of Pueblo Pottery."
Helen Shupla's legacy continues through her Hopi son-in-law, Alton Komalestewa, whom she taught pottery while he lived at Santa Clara. Komalestewa, the great-grandson of Hopi potter Nampeyo of Hano, carries on the tradition of crafting the melon jar design that he learned from his mother-in-law.
1707-02