This is a simple and somewhat thick shallow bowl of undistinguished form.

It is interesting in this collection because it is signed “Grace” for “Grace Chapella” and this offers the collection a rendition of the “bird hanging from sky band” design that is by a well-known Hopi/Tewa potter, but this is an example not done by a member of the Nampeyo family.

The red lunette at the bottom extends less than 20% of the way across the painted service, noticelbly less than is generally true of Nampeyo and Nampeyo-family renditions of this design. Two linear tail feathers are in contrast with the upper 60% of curvilinear elements, thus providing visual tension. Given the bulk of curved elements, Grace’s rendition has a stong counter-clockwise motion.

The design on bowl 2014-14 omits a central “butterfly” element that is usually seen when this design is by Nampeyo or her descendents. Similarly Grace does not use negative space to frame her design, a Nampeyo characteristic.

Overall Grace’s design seems crowed and strong. The painting, particularly the red color, seems a bit rushed.

Purchase History:
Dish 2014-14 was purchased on Ebay from Sharon Generazzo of Ramona, CA. (receipt on file.) She provided the following provenance: “I sold this for a friend (Jack Lang) and this is the providence he knew about this bowl. He bought it in the 70's from a couple in Poway Ca, They had purchased it on a trip from a Fred Harvey Trading Post in New Mexico. This was in the 30's, 40's era. They also purchased that canteen I had on (Ebay) at the same time. They told him that they were used together as a set. Canteen to pour liquid drink and the bowl to drink from. This is all he knew about the piece.”