Helen Baca Shupla

1928 Born Santa Clara, Pueblo, New Mexico

1985 Died

PIMARY WORK EXPERIENCE

Studio Potter

BIOGRAPHY

Helen Shupla, a Santa Clara potteris best known for melon jars. Initially, her forming method wash and coiling, shaping, sanding, and polishing with a stone. Traditional open fire method of firing was used.1 After her marriage to Hopi Kachina Carver, Kenneth Shupla, Helen adjusted her process incorporating hopi clay, carving techniques and developed a unique melon form. Pushing the form from the interior of a closed coiled form, Helen’s melon pots are considered to have a unique plasticity.

” Early in her life Helen was producing black on black pottery, then she graduated to making carved and incised bowls, jars and plates before developing her signature melon jars. Her husband often helped with carving and incising her pots, using designs like the avanyu, rain clouds, lightning bolts and kiva steps.”

1.kinggalleries.com/brand/shupla-helen/ -Cited January 23, 2019, 9:00AM

2.http://www.andreafisherpottery.com -Cited January 23, 2019, 9:00AM

Public Collections

Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California

Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado

Heard Museum, Phoenix, Arizona

Bibliography

Trimble, Stephen. Talking with the Clay: The Art of Pueblo Pottery in the 21st Century. Santa FE, NM: School for Advanced Research Press, 1987

Southern Highland Craft Guild