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 surface of this jar is painted with two large birds.  Each bird is slipped and polished with different clay slips and one has polished wings and the other painted wings.  Separating the two birds are plant designs.  Over each of them is a rainbow band with rain designs.  It is a more complicated rainbow on this jar.  Note as well the plants by the birds and also the very intricate fine-line and hatchwork painting on the two birds!  The jar is signed on the side, “Elizabeth Medina, Zia”.