Dominique Toya is known for her intricately carved pottery with sharply ridged melon swirls.  She has created her distinctive style of pottery using native clay and micaceous clay slips for the surface.  This bowl is fully polished on the top and bottom.  The polished area is a dark tan coloration, but take a look at the last photo.  The clay slip she used was almost green in coloration before it was fired!  The deep, rich, tan coloration is exceptional. There is a swirl of four deeply carved, sharp-edged melon ribs. They are slipped with black mica.  The opening is triangular in shape.  The piece was traditionally fired outdoors creating a strong visual contrast between the polished and micaceous areas.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Dominique Toya”.  Dominique has won numerous awards for her pottery and continues to be one of the leading Jemez potters working today!