It is always exciting to see an unusual and distinctive piece by Margaret Tafoya.  She created pieces of such variety throughout her career from black-on-black to carved and even polychrome pottery. This small bowl was purchased from Margaret around 1958.  It is a small fully polished red.  The bowl is painted with gray, white, and brown clay slips. There are mountains and clouds painted as the designs and outlined with the white clay.  It is unusual in terms of various colors of clay.  She didn’t make many polychrome pieces or ones with white outlines, as they were very time-consuming.  The bowl was traditionally fired. It is signed on the bottom, “Margaret”.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  This is definitely a historically important and creative bowl by this important Santa Clara potter.