Nathan Begaye was a unique innovator among Pueblo and Navajo potters.  His ethnic connection to both Hopi and Navajo let his work flow between the two distinctive styles and yet find their own unique space.  His work used traditional designs, forms and techniques, yet somehow appeared very modern.  This tile is from 2000 and was made for a “Hopi Tile” show that we had here the gallery.  The lizard is painted on a polished white clay surface and the colors are all natural clay slips.  The black is bee-weed and note the tightly painted fineline designs. Nathan used a piece from a broken vessel to create this “shard” which he wanted to look like an ancient piece that had just been found.  There is a little bit of wear on the black and some minor spalling, which adds to the feel of the piece being “old”.  Note on the back the rust colored area below the signature, that was where he put some caliche clay he found here in AZ and he wanted to see what color it would fire.