Elizabeth Medina is known for the traditional style of Zia pottery.  Each piece is coil built, painted with native clays and native fired.  Did you know that Zia potters mix volcanic basalt into their clay to give it strength? The sides of this jar is painted with two large birds.  Each bird is slipped and polished with different clay slips for the bodies and each has painted wings.  Above the birds are polished red rainbows which are then polished brown near the base.  Separating the bird sections is a tan rainbow band with rain and cloud designs.  Note as well the plants by the birds and also the very intricate fine-line and hatchwork painting on the two birds!  There is a lid with a bear on a red flat piece.  The bear has a polished bird on the top.  The jar is signed on the side, “Elizabeth Medina, Zia”.