About

Carl McConnell (1926–2003) was the most important potter in the post-World War Two generation in Queensland, introducing stoneware and porcelain firing to the state. His superb craftsmanship has been showcased in numerous exhibitions, which established his nationwide profile. Phillip McConnell (b.1947), Carl's eldest son, followed in his father's footsteps and established a career of equal significance.

Both artists have been influenced by the Anglo–Japanese tradition, initially through the groundbreaking publication A Potters Book (1940) by Bernard Leach. As Australia's trading relationships with Japan developed from the 1960s onwards, the influence of Japanese ceramics on the artists became more direct and Phillip went on to study at the ancient Japanese pottery centre Mashiko. Carl and Phillip McConnell are regarded as superb ceramic technicians — both experimented with traditional Chinese and Japanese methods to produce a remarkably diverse and sophisticated oeuvre.