This new red bowl by Linda Tafoya-Sanchez is complex in design and larger in size.  The bowl is round in shape, and it is fully carved around the sides.  There are eight different panels of design.  There is a bear paw, leaf design, cloud, raincloud, prayer feather, avanyu, leaf, and waves in the sun.  Each panel is tightly carved and the entire piece is fully polished.  The rim has four intentions in a star formation.  The bowl was fired a deep red coloration.  The carving, size, and coloration are stunning! It is signed on the bottom, “Linda Tafoya-Sanchez”.

The story of the Water Serpent as told by Toni Roller:

“The water serpent, we were told, it represents life. It represents the water, which is important to life, to people, plants, and animals. The water design is very important to put on pots to honor that serpent. We used to ask, “What is the water serpent?” We were told the water serpent is in the rivers, the big rivers. At one time, when my mother was young, there were no bridges to cross over the Rio Grande. They were always told that if you see a water serpent, your life is going to be long. She did see one laying on the rock. She said it was huge, snakelike, and she said she just stared at it and couldn’t holler for anyone else to see. If you look at the serpent design, it has all the weather designs. The lightning on the tongue of the serpent, and there are mountain designs and rain designs and all the weather elements. .”  Toni Roller, Spoken Through Clay