This is a deeply carved tri-color water jar by Nathan Youngblood.  The jar has a round shoulder and a turned-out rim.  The neck is polished red.  There are three deeply carved medallions on the sides.  Each has a cloud, rain, or lighting pattern.  Note how deeply they are carved into the clay!  They are each polished red. The base of the jar is polished tan (the natural color of the clay).  Did you know that the tan coloration in Santa Clara pottery is one of the most difficult to achieve?  The tan coloration is achieved by adding water to the surface of the dry vessel and then beginning to stone polish.  The film created on the surface becomes the “slip” and the tan is actually the natural color of the clay.  It is VERY difficult to get a high shine to the tan.  As well, during a traditional firing, it is also the riskiest as smoke and ash can easily discolor the surface.  The hoped-for result is an even caramel coloration on the surface of the piece.  Nathan is one of only a handful of potters who uses this technique and his are always exceptional.  The red and tan colorations are striking together.  On Nathan’s tri-color pieces, after they are fired, he uses screwdrivers to scrape the background area and the side of the carving.  This can take almost as much time as carving or polishing itself!  Amazing the amount of time that goes into each vessel and yet how stunning they appear!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay with his name and hallmarked name in Tewa, which means “Deer Path”.  It is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.