Back in 2000 whilst undertaking the Tylee Cottage Artist in Residence in Whanganui, I set up a roofing company “Jeff Thomson Roofing” and went about working in the wider community as a roofer. I was a roofer with a difference in that i came at it from an artists perspective and took roofing and roofing products in a decorative and playful yet functional direction. Screen printed, gutters, spouting, ridging and corrugated iron appeared on forty buildings throughout the area. For me, it was probably the most interesting and exciting body of work I’ve ever done. It felt real, refreshing and important.

The works in this show are relics of this time, from earlier times and a few pieces from the present. I still today spend a lot of time looking at roofing and use roofing products in my work .

— Jeff Thomson, 2015.

This show and work is about vernacular.

The function that the pottery has throughout its history is containment and transportation. These works are made as references to the idea of drains, catchments, pipes and conduits. these forms have a pragmatic sculptural feel, and being hand made exhibit figurative aspects.

It is a joy to play the role of ‘potter’ and ‘plumber’ at the same time, the diagram of the circle being the obvious outcome as a drawing of flow.

— Martin Poppelwell, 2015