Tonja is a hand-building ceramic artist working primarily in slab and coil construction, with a strong focus on surface carving. Her pieces — bowls, platters, planters, and vases — are often large in scale and incorporate textural elements like woven and jute edging, as well as layered multi-media surfaces that lend a patchwork-like character to her work. Her bowls and carvings draw inspiration from nature, often echoing the patterns and textures found in stones and rock formations — a reflection of her interest in organic form and the slow, weathered beauty of the natural world. A studio member of the Kawartha Potters Guild, Tonja continues to develop her practice through workshops and community clay sessions, drawing inspiration from the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi — finding beauty in imperfection and the unplanned outcomes that emerge through the making process. Before turning to clay, Tonja's creative path included photography (studied at Toronto Metropolitan University) and curatorial work, followed by a long career in graphic design and art direction, where she continues to specialize in branding and brand strategy. That design sensibility — an eye for form, balance, and material — now informs her approach to pottery, where function and beauty meet in equal measure. Tonja works from her home studio in the Kawartha Lakes.