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Experiences It was then time for Peter to pay his dues
in hard labour. He joined Beechmont Pottery, a production pottery
staffed by Americans who had come to Queensland partly for the work,
partly for the surf. |
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One of those was John Durand,
who was to have a significant influence on Peter’s development
as a potter.
“For every potter who wants to throw, starting in production pottery is best. You learn to minimise your movements,” Peter says.
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“When I arrived I could make only 100 coffee mugs a day,” he says, adding that he can now produce that quantity in just two hours. Through practice -- he handled three quarters of a tonne of clay a day--- his natural abilities were stretched and honed. His reputation for throwing clay into perfect shapes was established.
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Later he established a pottery at nearby Nerang where he pioneered a white glaze with a green and pink spray. It was in striking contrast to the sombre Japanese-influenced hues that then dominated Australian pottery.
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©2006
Peter Wallace Pottery