‘The Potter’s Nod’ 2025

Oxide/Ceramic stains and underglaze fired to 1300C
Hand made stoneware tiles
47 x 55cm

This is a portrait of John Stroomer, a Master Potter who is internationally recognized for his mastery of both the potter’s wheel and crystalline process. Once described as a ‘Virtuoso of the potter’s wheel’ by Peter Timms (Art Critic, Melbourne Age), his forms are classical, balanced, simple and full bodied.

John has been a wonderful mentor and teacher to me in the development of my current creative practice. During my time learning to throw on the potters wheel, I quickly became aware of the involuntary rhythmic nodding of John’s head, the intense focus of his eyes aligning with the rotation of the wheel as he was throwing. I soon came to learn about this phenomenon amongst potters, ‘the potter’s nod’ and felt it was an intriguing attribute acquired and most likely symptomatic of many years mastering the art of throwing.

John often reminds me… “Go with the flow” as in life, so in art. The vagaries of the firing process teach me to surrender and accept the beautiful inconsistencies that it brings as seen in the tiles.