This bowl is one which was made and polished by Mark Tahbo.  After he passed away this past Fall, there were four pieces which he had not finished.  The family asked his cousin, Debbie Clashin to paint and fired the pieces.  Debbie received a book Mark kept with his drawings.  From this sketch-book she selected some of his designs which she used on these pieces.  I asked Debbie to number the pieces (1-4) in order to make an accurate historic recording of the final pieces of Mark’s pottery which she finished.  This bowl is one of Mark’s classic shapes with the wide shoulder.  This design on this piece is exceptional!  The bird in the center is taken from Mark’s sketchbook and is on that he often used.  The top of the bowl has two Sikyatki style birds which circle around the shoulder of the jar.  Thes style of these birds has become a signature of Debbie’s work.  The exceptional part? Note how the beak of the bird below the shoulder touches the bead of Mark’s bird on top of the shoulder.  It is that connection of passing from one generation and artist to another and that the history of this art form doesn’t end with the passing of one artist.  It is a striking testament to the work of both of these potters and their continuation of the Chapella family legacy.   It was outdoor fired with strong blushes on the surface.   It is signed on the bottom with Debbie’s name, the date (1/18),  a pipe which was Mark’s hallmark for his “Tobacco Clan” and also a #1, signifying it is one of the four pieces Debbie painted and fired. Definitely a wonderful piece of history!