Star Jumps

Seeing their work always brings me joy. I witness the emergence of New Zealand’s young potters, freely exploring their craft. Most importantly, I can feel how much fun they’re having with clay. Their passion is contagious, and it excites me to imagine how their work will evolve in the future, each has developed a distinct sensibility and signature style—something that is not easy to achieve.

I deeply admire these three potters and believe they will play a significant role in shaping the future of New Zealand’s ceramics scene, much like Barry Brickell, Ren Castle, or Bruce Martine. Just as Ren helped cultivate a vibrant pottery scene in West Auckland, leaving a lasting impact on the region, or as Brickell established his site as a sacred place for pottery—envisioning it as a space for generations of artists to create and thrive. Driving Creek, originally Brickell’s vision, has now become one of New Zealand’s most renowned artist residencies, a place where countless artists have passed through, producing extraordinary works.

Riccardo has been managing the site at Driving Creek for years, Scott and Thomas have spent significant time there to create their body of work for this show and few weeks prior from the exhibition, they fired at The kiln of Mirek Smíšekat at Te Horo.  It is important to gather their milestones and document their achievements—landmarks of their careers—to truly celebrate their skill and contributions to the craft —these potters are carving out their own legacies.

About the Artists

Thomas Baker is a ceramic artist who works with clay and wood. He spent time in Kanazawa, Japan, training under Seppo Iida Sensei (teacher) for years lived and worked in the teacher's atelier, Hokuto studio. 

Now he is settled back in beautiful Nelson, New Zealand where he set up a pottery studio with his long-time friend, fellow potter, Jamie Smith. Jamie and Thomas, these creative duo are passionate about reinvigorating the creative scene in Nelson. 

He is one of the main organizers of Nelson Clay Week, which takes place every two years. Each of his pieces is truly unique, and his iconic bold forms and beautiful glaze work are highly coveted by collectors.

Scott Brough is a ceramic artist based in Hawke's Bay. Working with a small palette of materials and a love for the ancient pottery of Asia and Europe, Scott creates individual pieces for people to live with and use regularly.
'I am always seeking the perfect balance between the coarseness of the raw materials and the delicacy of the finished work.'

Riccardo Scott is a Italo-New Zealand ceramic artist based in Coromandel. He was working in art and design in Italy before coming back in 2021, and started making with clay. He is interested in harnessing and exploring the vernacular materials. His work is inspired by traditional and industrial forms, and he is interested in the translation that occurs from working within these restrictions.