Guest Ceramic Artist 2025:
Royce McGlashen,
Master Potter and New Zealand Ceramic Icon
We are honoured to welcome renowned potter Royce McGlashen as the guest ceramic artist at the Ōtaki Pottery Club’s Festival of Pots and Garden Art 2025. Royce, who is transitioning into full retirement, brings a lifetime of artistry, experience, and dedication to the craft of pottery.
Royce McGlashen
Royce was twelve when he was first exposed to pottery making. His dad went to Mirek Smíšek's night classes and Royce thought “That is pretty cool”. Royce was brought up on a farm in Richmond, so he had to make a choice between farming or pottery. Pottery won and he went straight from school at sixteen to work at Waimea Pottery, becoming the first person in New Zealand to complete a 5 year (10000 hour) Government approved apprenticeship. He learnt to throw pots, process clay, load and fire kilns, and design.
Following 2 years working first in Australia and then England Royce returned to Nelson and set up his own pottery in Richmond and just a few years later relocated to Brightwater where he has been for 44 years. Royce has developed a wide range of ceramic tableware over the years and after building a ram press machine extended his range to include functional textured pieces depicting New Zealand shells and fauna. Until his semi-retirement in 2024 McGlashen Pottery was supplying about 35 galleries and shops throughout New Zealand. Throughout his life he has always continued to make his individual ceramic artwork and that is what you will see at Otaki Pottery Club’s Festival of Pots and Garden Art.
The pots will be handmade from slabs of clay, assembled, textured and decorated.
Royce received an M.B.E for his services to Pottery in New Zealand in 1989 and is a Member if the International Academy of Ceramics. (Geneva)
Royce was twelve when he was first exposed to pottery making. His dad went to Mirek Smíšek's night classes and Royce thought “That is pretty cool”. Royce was brought up on a farm in Richmond, so he had to make a choice between farming or pottery. Pottery won and he went straight from school at sixteen to work at Waimea Pottery, becoming the first person in New Zealand to complete a 5 year (10000 hour) Government approved apprenticeship. He learnt to throw pots, process clay, load and fire kilns, and design.
Following 2 years working first in Australia and then England Royce returned to Nelson and set up his own pottery in Richmond and just a few years later relocated to Brightwater where he has been for 44 years. Royce has developed a wide range of ceramic tableware over the years and after building a ram press machine extended his range to include functional textured pieces depicting New Zealand shells and fauna. Until his semi-retirement in 2024 McGlashen Pottery was supplying about 35 galleries and shops throughout New Zealand. Throughout his life he has always continued to make his individual ceramic artwork and that is what you will see at Otaki Pottery Club’s Festival of Pots and Garden Art.
The pots will be handmade from slabs of clay, assembled, textured and decorated.
Royce received an M.B.E for his services to Pottery in New Zealand in 1989 and is a Member if the International Academy of Ceramics. (Geneva)
