LuAnn Tafoya is a daughter of Margaret Tafoya and known for her large, highly polished pottery.  This bowl is polished and fired red.  It is a traditional form with seven indented “gourd” sections.  The oval sections are actually pushed into the clay when it is still wet.  This adds to the technical challenge of the pieces that it doesn’t crack in drying or firing.  The form is called a “gourd bowl,” which represents the gourds used to scrape the pottery as it is being made.  It is highly polished and fired a deep red and tan. The rim undulates and it is called a “raindrop” rim.  I wrote in Born of Fire:

“Beyond the cultural importance imbued in the shape of the vessel, the legends of Santa Clara Pueblo inspired Sara Fina, and were incorporated into her pottery. On the shoulder of her water jars, a second raised section or “double shoulder” created a “rainbow band,” representing a prayer to prevent the water from evaporating from the jar. She often pinched the clay on the rims of her jars, calling this a “rain drop rim”—the significance was to keep the water sweet and drinkable.”  Charles S. King  Born of Fire

Below the gourd sections, there is a deeply carved band representing water.  The bowl is fired striking red coloration.  it is signed on the bottom in the clay, “LuAnn Tafoya”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.