This is a large wide-shoulder polychrome jar by Lois Gutierrez.  She is one of the few potters who continues to create polychrome pottery at Santa Clara.  Polychrome, or more than three different colors of clay slips, are all painted onto the surface of the vessel before it is fired. This piece has a matte background and is painted with eight different colors of clay!  The jar has a round shoulder and a short neck. The rim is slightly turned out and there are cloud designs painted on the rim for the four directions.  The shoulder of the jar has four stylized Horned Lizards as the design.  Note the longer feet and the “horns” extending backward off the heads.  The feathers on the back of each lizard are meant to represent the scales.  Above the shoulder are plant designs and swirling clouds.  Note the detail and complexity of the designs!  It is tightly painted and amazingly colorful! The piece was traditionally fired.  Did you know that Lois collects each of the different clays from around Santa Clara Pueblo to create these colorations?  It is signed on the bottom, “Lois”,  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.