In a log cabin studio nestled in the hills of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Lois Clarkson creates her Father Christmas figures. Winter is the best season for her to work inside Snowdin Studios. It is then, when the cabin is drifted in with snow, that she finds the peacefulness that allows her to concentrate on each one-of-a-kind santa.

A former teacher and an aspiring artist, Lois has been making santas for over 20 years. It all began when her mother was cleaning out her attic and gave Lois boxes filled with Christmas decorations from her childhood. Seeing the antique German Father Christmas candy containers started her on the quest to make the "perfect" santa. The first attempts were difficult because the paper mache dried out before she could make the face. The answer was polymer clay which she still uses today.

A santa starts with the inspiration from an antique postcard from Lois's collection. She sculpts each one individually from a lump of polymer clay. The bottle supports the head while she is working on it. It will be removed before she bakes the head in her oven.

Step 2 is the painting of the face which is done in thin layers building up to those ruddy complexions. Step 3 is applying the beard using sheep wool from a friend who has a farm nearby. Lois's husband, Jim, makes the bodies out of wood and wire that are then turned over to be dressed in cloaks of vintage fabrics. Before Lois made santas, she collected the antique toys that now adorn each Father Christmas.

Many different countries and customs have been represented in Lois's santas. The English Father Christmas pictured was inspired by the postcard pictured below it. He is wearing long robes and a wreath of holly crowns his head. He is delivering the Christmas goose, apples and oranges in a cornucopia. The Punch & Judy puppet was also made by the artist. Standing on an antiqued box he takes you back to Olde England.

Another of her specialties is the French Pere Noel that wears long robes, sabots(wooden shoes) and carries a grape picking basket on his back. All of the santas have a sense of history that is influenced by the antique postcards from the early 1900's.

Collectors have seen the artist's santas in many books and magazines including "Better Homes and Gardens Santa Claus Collection Vol. 5", "Santa Dolls" by Ann Bahar, "The Doll by Contemporary Artists", "Early American Life Magazine and Directory", and "Country Living Magazine."

When the snow flies in the winter, Lois will be in her studio creating new santas that collectors will be eagerly waiting to see.

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