This is a classic fully polished bowl by Margaret Tafoya.  It is from the 1960s. The bowl is coil-built, carved and then stone polished to a high shine. The bowl has the traditional “walking bear paw” design.  The design encircles the bowl.  The entire piece, even the inside is fully polished!  The bowl was fired to a dark black coloration.  Polishing the inside always adds to the overall difficulty as the additional wet clay slip can cause a piece to crack.  However, the result is striking with a polished interior.  The bowl is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Margaret Tafoya”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  

“I have dressed my children with clay. The pottery has brought my children clothes and shoes and put them through good schools. It has enabled us to survive.” Margaret Tafoya, 1985, Spoken Through Clay