224 Stokers Road, Stokers Siding, Tweed Valley,

Northern NSW, Australia

Phone: (02) 6677 9208

For Email Enquiries Please Click Here

For the past 12 years in a tumble down backyard work­shop behind the Stokers Siding Pottery & Gallery, in the tiny Tweed Valley village of Stokers Siding, ceramic artist Bob Connery has been developing his lustre technique pottery which is impressing even the most precise Japanese Masters.

Bob's technique involves applying gold, copper and silver salts into the clay, specialised firing methods and finally carefully cleaning the oxidised and smoked pots back to reveal the lustre.

This once out­dated style is being revitalised by contemporary potters trying to capture the elusive quality of smoked lustres with their possibilities for unusual colours, spectacular iridescence, haloing and other special effects no longer being looked upon as defects.      

It was during one of his recent trips to Japan that Grand Tea Master Sen Shoshitsu from the Urasenke School of Tea looked over some of Bob's works.

The bowls were laid before the Grand Tea Master, who for half an hour, closely scrutinised elements such as size, weight and balance of each piece.

"But in the end it was really about the spirit (each bowl is believed to have a life of its own) and balance of the bowl - an element from the 16th Century whose understanding and appreciation is passed from father to son through line of Tea Masters," said Bob.

At the end of the appraisal Bob watched as the unimaginable happened - the Grand Tea Master declared the pots suitable for "The Way of Tea" and worthy of box signing. The pots were delivered in person to Sen Shoshitsu's compound in Kyoto and the boxes were duly signed.

Bob is the first person living and studying outside of Japan to receive such an honour. The signing guarantees the quality of Bob's tea bowls and escalates their value into the tens of thousands of dollars. For a potter to have their pieces appraised and signed by a Grand Tea Master is an enormous honour, but even more so when that potter is not Japanese. To See Bob's full CV please click here

Bob's pottery, as well as that of other local artists and artisans, along with functional and decorative ceramics, glass, jewellery, paintings, zyladrums, cards and more can be viewed and purchased at Stokers Siding Pottery.

Stokers Siding Child Friendly Pottery & Gallery

Quality Pottery, Giftware & Ceramics
40 minutes from Byron Bay
35 minutes from Gold Coast Airport
5 minutes from Murwillumbah
in the beautiful Tweed Valley, Northern NSW, Australia

Open 7 Days a Week - 9:30 am to 5 pm

See Bob Connery's CV by Clicking Here

Your One Stop Gallery Shop for Pottery, Ceramics, Zyladrums, Neti Pots, Hand Crafted Candles, Art Works, Cards, Giftware and More

Stokers Siding Pottery
224 Stokers Road, Stokers Siding, Tweed Valley,
Northern NSW Australia
Phone: (02) 6677 9208
International Enquiries +61 266 779 208
For Email Enquiries Please Click Here

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