This is a complex and elegant jar by Nancy Youngblood.  It is inspired by the imagery of Thunderbirds in both Pueblo and Native culture.  The jar has both a male and a female Thunderbird. They are deeply carved into the clay with the wings and body derived from classic melon ribs.  Note the tail feathers, which are deeply carved ribs, on one of the birds.  Separating them are swirling, cloud-like ribs.  The jar has a lid with “s” swirls on each side.  They are delicate and highly polished. The lid is the perfect addition to the jar, giving more sense of the Thunderbirds in flight.  The piece is highly polished and fired a deep, glassy black coloration. Nancy has also used a variety of carving styles to accentuate the bodies and movement of the birds! It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Nancy Youngblood”