Belen Tapia was a diverse potter creating everything from painted to carved pottery.  This jar has a “storage jar” shape with a round body and short neck. The neck is fully polished. The jar itself is fully carved with swirling clouds, lighting, and mountain patterns.  The carving is deep and precise.  Belen used the negative space of the surrounding area to create and accentuate her designs.  This makes her work both distinctive and unique, as most potters of the time carved in a single band around the body of the vessel.  The piece is fully polished and traditionally fired a deep black coloration.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Belen Tapia”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.