In 1990 I joined the Canterbury Potters Club in Christchurch and by 1993-94 I was president of the club. I held this position for 2 years and it gave me great insight into the work of local potters and helped me meet other like minded people.

I was thrilled to be invited to join 'Pots on Victoria', a co-operative pottery shop and this gave me my first experience of selling my own work as we took turns to man the shop. This is harder than you think!

Eventually the group broke up and I was invited to join my sister, Anne Field, in her studio in the Arts Centre in Christchurch. Anne is a spinner and weaver with an international reputation and the Arts Centre is a mecca for local and tourist involvement in the arts.

Although Anne does use the studio as a working studio, I am unable to do so as dust, wet clay and the problems of insurance for kilns, do not mix very well with the fine merino, silks and other lovely yarns Anne uses. My work is done at home in my large studio and the completed work is displayed in the studio.

I use stoneware, a type of clay which is very tough and durable, and is high fired to 1270 degrees centigrade. I make a wide range of domestic ware, mainly hand thrown on the potters wheel, and a selection of hand made pieces including figures and tiles.

I have sold work to private collections in every country in the world, from Iceland to Europe, Africa to North America.

Every potter has their own potter's mark and mine is registered with the New Zealand Society of Potters.

Harvey can be contacted through Anne's email at afield@chch.planet.org.nz

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