Sonja Chamberlain is a Toronto based artist who gained national recognition as an accomplished folk art painter, designer and instructor. She appeared as a guest artist on several episodes of the HGTV program, Sue Warden's Craftscapes. And, her original folk art designs and painted projects were frequently featured in Crafts Plus magazine, formerly Canada’s only national arts and crafts publication.

Today, clay is Sonja’s creative canvas, and her method is best described as experimental and exploratory. Sonja’s body of work ranges from figurative sculpture to functional ware, all created using traditional “hand building” techniques. Many of her pieces are decorated with highly detailed, hand-painted motifs, bearing the mark of a skilled painter.

Sonja is inspired by both the natural and supernatural worlds. Her most recent work draws on themes of the mystical that run through fables, folklore and the fantastical realm. Sonja’s more whimsical pieces remind us that even in a world ruled by logic, there is still room for wonder. And for the unexpected, such as the Black Swan event of Covid 19 and resulting lockdowns, that inspired Sonja to establish her own home studio in 2020.

Even after more than 20 years of working with clay, Sonja is still in awe of the limitless possibilities and challenges presented in “a little lump of mud”. She writes: “Working with clay is not for the faint of heart or for those eager to see immediate results. Creating a ceramic piece involves many steps and decisions along the way. The process can fail at any point for reasons that may be well understood, or completely inscrutable. But, when the design and technical elements align, and the kiln gods are kind, what emerges is an object of lasting delight. Isn’t that the ultimate quest?”