This is an impressive jar by LuAnn Tafoya.  She is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya and learned to make large vessels from her mother.  The shape of the jar is one that is classic for LuAnn with a round shoulder and sloping neck.  The design is complex and fluid, carved around the center of the jar.  There is an old-style avanyu carved into the clay, with the teeth/mouth and horn visible.  In front of the avanyu is a classic swirling bird with a small, incised section.  As the jar is turned, the body of the avanyu tells the story of the rain coming over the mountains.  Note the variety of angular and circular designs, no imagery is repeated! The jar is very highly stone-polished.  It is difficult to photograph a piece with such a high shine!   The jar was traditionally fired to a deep black coloration.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “LuAnn Tafoya”.  A classic shape and classic design.

“When I was twelve, I remember one Saturday morning my mom said, “We are going to polish today.” I looked at her, and I said, “Polish today? I’ve never polished a pot.” She put up a table, and I sat on one side and she sat on the other side. She started putting the clay slip on some small pieces. As soon as it was ready for me to polish, she would hand me the small pot. She kept putting the slip onto six small bowls. It was like a rotation of working on it. After she put the slip on then I would start polishing, so we keep on going. That’s where I remember starting to work on the pots.”  LuAnn Tafoya, Spoken Through Clay

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