This is a striking red and tan bowl by Nancy Youngblood.  The bowl is coil built and the top third is carved with a series of 16 interlocking feathers. Each feather is deeply carved into the clay and extends from the rim to below the shoulder.  They are each separated into three sections that interconnect.  Note the depth of the carving near the rim!  Each feather is polished to a deep red coloration. The base of the bowl is sanded to a smooth buff coloration with a soft leather feel.  As with all pottery, the tactile side of holding a piece is always important.  On this bowl, it is critical as the smooth surfaces and the sharp edge of the carving, in addition to the coloration, are what makes it so stunning! The bowl is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Nancy Youngblood Cutler, 1986”.