Patricia Tolton

Ceramics

My Process

All tiles start with a hand drawn design. The tiles are either sculpted and then molded or individually hand carved. Some of the techniques I use are sgraffito, hand carving, cuenca and press molding. Tiles are painted with glazes formulated by the artist and fired in an electric kiln.

My Inspiration

My ancestors are potters. I feel like I honor their legacy by working in clay. I have a deep love of the Arts and Crafts Movement and Japanese woodblock prints. I also have a background in Horticulture. I weave my family history, love of art and the natural world into my tiles.

Fun Facts

I was fascinated by Henry Mercer. While going to Del Val, I would spend countless hours touring the Mercer Museums. Years later I gave up landscaping to pursue tile full time. That love of Mercer tile just kept calling me. It changed the course of my life.