This is a stunning and complex polychrome jar from Dolores Curran.  She continues to create intricately incised and painted pottery.  She was inspired to create these red polychrome incised and painted by her husband, Alvin Curran.  He was known for his incised San Juan style pottery in the 1990’s.  This jar has incised butterfly and flower designs around the neck.   As the design gets closer to the shoulder, there are incised clouds and rain designs.  What is incised mean? Incised is just a bit deeper carving than the sgraffito or etched designs, but not as deep as carved designs.  There is a tightness and precision required of incised designs and it a skill with which Dolores excels.  Around the shoulder is a carved avanyu and below that are stylized bowls with prayer feathers.  Near the base are cloud and rain designs painted on the polished red surface.  Note even the little red-on-red dragonflies!  The design on the lid is a plant pattern and there are painted dragonfly and cloud designs on the lid.  When the lid is turned over there is an incised turtle underneath!  The entire jar combines polished, matte and micaceous surfaces.  All the colorations are from natural clay slips.  It is an extraordinary amount of time to create pieces this intricate both in design and in the various clay additions.   The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay.  Simply perfect!