Patsy Thola Chamberlain creates art from clay. Each piece is handbuilt; wet clay is rolled out flat using a rolling pin and slab roller. Shapes are cut, patterns and textures are impressed into the surface using clay stamps, fabric, wood etc; a pointed tool may be used to draw on the clay, and the work is signed and numbered. The separate pieces are assembled by scoring the edges, brushing on clay slurry, and fitting them together; the seams are paddled to reinforce the bond and secure the form.
The work is carefully air dried for several days, then loaded into an electric kiln and fired for about 12 hours, to 1945ºF. After this bisque firing underglazes are brushed onto the surface and hand worked to reveal the design. An airbrush is used to apply each separate glaze color on top of the underglaze. Again the pieces are loaded into the kiln and fired, this time for about 8 hours, to 1850ºF. A couple of days later the kiln has cooled enough to unload. Some of the works receive twigs, wire or other garnish. Others are reglazed and fired again.
