| Description |
Double-spouted wedding vase with flat base, spherical body, and two tall, flaring necks with irregular rims, joined at the top by a stirrup handle; Entire exterior (except base) is highly burnished; Background area of design band that encircles upper sides of vase are carved away, leaving a stylized motif of two feathered serpents or Avanyu in relief, shown head to tail; Vase has been reduction fired to yield an overall black-on-black color; Artist’s signature “Margaret Tafoya†is lightly incised in script on base. Margaret Tafoya is considered by many to be the matriarch of Santa Clara potters, having many children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who have continued her legacy. She was the grandmother of Linda Tafoya-Oyenque, the sister of Christina Naranjo, and the aunt of Mary Cain, Teresita Naranjo, and Mida Tafoya, all of whose works are represented in the CAS pottery collection. |
