This is a collaborative jar by Jennifer Moquino and Jason Ebelacker.  Jason is a great-grandson of Margaret Tafoya and he make, polishes and fired the vessel.  Jennifer then etches the surface with her intricate designs. Together they have been winning awards for their exceptional collaborative works.  The phoenix is an image that Jennifer has used several times in her pottery.  The phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Associated with the Sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor.  Ok, and living in Phoenix, it’s hard not to want to see her do it as a design! This jar is very highly polished.  The entire surface is fully etched with two phoenix birds.  Each bird is very highly detailed with design for the feathers.  Jennifer noted that the subtle coloration on each feather made this one of her more challenging pieces to date.  The colors are beautiful contrasted with the  highly polished black surface of the jar.   All the various colors are from natural clay slips.  Jennifer is extraordinary in her use of realistic elements on her pottery and capturing a moment in time.