This is a complex carved tri-color bowl by Nathan Youngblood.  The piece is fully carved and polished, deep red, tan, and buff.  The shape is unusual with a high, double shoulder or “rainbow bnad” near the rim. Around the neck is a walking bear paw design carved into the clay.  Below is a band with an avanyu (water serpent) encircling the jar.  The avanyu is wonderfully complex with cloud, rain, and water designs.  Near the base is another band of carving and note how it is smaller and more compact in size.  This bottom band has a walking bear paw, rain clouds, and kiva step pattern. The entire jar is polished a very deep red.  The lid is tri-color (red, tan, and buff).  The edge is tan and there is a carved avanyu encircling a matte medallion with mountain and rain designs.  The lid fits perfectly onto the jar and there are etched deer tracks on the lid and neck of the jar where it is meant to match up.  The red is deep in coloration and striking on the bowl.  The jar is traditionally fired and on Nathan’s red 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 the 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”.