Newbie! Looking for help identifying salt glazed dish...Please!

Hello, I am new to this forum and could really use some help. I bought this piece of ceramic from the estate of a well known Denver antiques dealer. The dish was just sitting sadly off to the side and no one was paying any attention. After looking it over it became clear that without any markings it was going to be hard to identify the who, what, when or where of this piece so I made an offer, (I love underdogs) and it was mine! I think it's salt glazed stoneware but I can't figure out what the brownish granules embedded in the glaze are. I suspect it's a piece of studio pottery, featuring a Heron and lotus sitting on a lily pad, but when, or where, it might have been made are a mystery since there is no mark on the piece. Any help identifying this dish would be greatly appreciated. Size: 9" wide x 8 1/2" deep x 3" tall to the rim. Thank you!

 

It looks like studio pottery, which I don't know much about.
I do know the symbol on the bottom. It is the Sri Yantra, a Hindu symbol which represents the beauty of the Goddess, as it appears in three different levels of consciousness. This is just the simple explanation.

JayC, could you go back to editing this thread and click on full image for the pictures? Here is how:

 

Please do as AJ requests and always do that for all photos.

 

Thank you "Any Jewelry"...that is a big help all by itself and I'm sorry "KingofThings", I didn't realize only thumbnails were showing, but thanks for the heads up!

 

Don't be and you're welcome.
It's a constant issue as you will see.

 

That is a very nice piece of studio pottery indeed. I've no clue who.

 

Thank you, "Ownedbybear"! Since I received the info from "Any Jewelry" I have been scouring the internet for any info on this type of ceramic. Though the Sri Yantra, on the bottom, is a Hindu symbol I have yet to find it used as a type of hallmark or signature mark. It is always part of the central design or the actual design itself...although I know nothing about the religion the symbol seems to be that significant. I'm wondering what potter would place the symbol on the bottom as a secondary element?