While maintaining a respect for the master techniques, Stephen Bowers' flamboyant and exuberant ceramics combine a classical ceramic heritage with inspiration from indigenous sources and are spiced with dashes of wit. His work is distinguished by intricately painted underglazes which "wear its expertise lightly"...
Typical works include T Pots and T caddies which showcases Bowers refined glazing talents. The smooth surface bursts with rich and elaborate decoration, reminiscent of Florentine designs of the late Renaissance. Australian themes are seamlessly integrated with classical forms. Bowers is an instigator of a new consciousness in Australian pottery, thrusting our native flora and fauna into the limelight as a legitimate form of decoration. He skirts the edge of the kitschness while investing authenticity into the use of Australian symbols in the hope of developing our native visual language.
Sophie Ullin