Nathan Youngblood was taught pottery making by his grandmother, Margaret Tafoya, who is considered the matriarch of contemporary Santa Clara pottery. Nathan is widely recognized as one of the leading artists in Santa Clara today and his work has been given numberous awards and is included in many museum collections.

 

This plate is a clear example of Margaret Tafoya’s influence. Nathan is a supurb artist. The polishing of the black slip and incised bear paw designs are exquisite. The clay is natural clay that was red in color. The pot was fired in a reduction atmosphere which caused it to turn black.