Autumn Borts-Medlock is known for her often fancifully carved pottery. This large jar is fully carved with a single dragonfly and calla lilies.  The dragonfly is polished red while the lilies are slipped white.  The remainder of the jar is polished tan.  Did you know that tan is the most difficult polishing and firing technique in Santa Clara pottery?  The tan has no slip applied, but just water used to polish the surface of the clay. The potter has to be careful not to polish too hard or it is streaky but if not polished well enough, it doesn’t achieve a shine.  When it is fired, the artist must also take care so that it isn’t too smoky or the tan will have a black-gray coloration.  However, for all the complexity of the color, it is one of the most visually striking and a beautiful complement to the red polished areas.  The asymmetric rim of the jar matches the shape of the lillies.  Simply stunning!  The jar is signed on the bottom, “Autumn Borts”.