Virgil Ortiz is known for his use of traditional and modern design on his Cochiti pottery.  He recently said that he had some clay left over after making some pottery and decided to make some small bird figures.  Virgil said they reminded him of the birds made by his mother, Seferina Ortiz, and his grandmother, Laurencita Herrera.  Each bird is coil built and painted with wild spinach (a plant) for the black. This bird has a turned head and rain cloud designs for the wings.  The tail is raised up and then painted and there is the wild spinach design on the front. The bird is signed on the bottom.