Nathan Youngblood has created his own distinctive “polychrome” style of pottery with the use of the red, tan and buff surfaces on his pottery.  This jar is a classic shape with a wide shoulder and a slightly turned out neck.  The neck and base are both polished tan.  The central design area is deeply carved and has a walking bear paw, cloud and mountain pattern.  The walking bear paw design is one that is often seen on the pottery of Nathan’s grandmother, Margaret Tafoya.  The jar is traditionally fired and has a striking contrast between the deep red and the tan polished areas.  On his red and tan 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! The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay with his name and deer tracks, which represent his name in Tewa.