John Stroomer - Crystalline Potter The beauty depth and life evident in a crystalline glaze is spectacular and for centuries has been widely regarded as the most challenging glaze technique a potter can endeavor to master.  Specially formulated glazes are fired to peak temperatures of 1320 Celsius before being rapidly cooled to a pre-determined temperature window where the crystals are grown.  As crystal growth requires slow cooling these temperatures are held and further manipulated for a further 4-8 hours or more to allow for crystal growth within the glaze matrix. Crystals are formed at random and can take on a myriad of shapes. Spectacular effects created by the refraction of light within the glaze, give each piece a three dimensional quality and depth making crystalline one of the most stunning glaze finishes available.  Like gems from deep beneath the earths crust each pot is individually formed from natural materials hand thrown by the skilled hands of he potter. They emerge into the world transformed by the white hot fire of the kiln encased in a high quality finish, sparkling with an array of alluring and brilliant crystal formations. Metallic oxides such as cobalt, copper,  tin, manganese and combinations of various materials are used to produce a wide range of colours from dark cobalt blue through to gold, pink, pearl and reef greens John Stroomer is an award winning artist whose work is held in both public and private collections in Australia and overseas. His strong elegant shapes are sought after by collectors who appreciate this potters technical virtuosity and love of the Crystalline Glaze “My pots are a stretched canvas of porcelain clay which “sing” when encased in crystalline glaze giving them a unique quality and life which cannot be matched by any other glaze finish” John Stroomer is an accomplished potter with an insatiable and ever-growing passion for his work ... the challenge of Crystalline is all encompassing in his life. He has been making pots for more than 25 years and is now, more than ever, committed totally to the growth of his creative soul and the pursuit of the elusive and often volatile Crystalline Glaze. A virtuoso of the potter's wheel, John - who was trained in the traditional potters' disciplines - strives and challenges himself to throw large, sensuous shapes, pushing the ancient medium to its limits. The exacting nature, temperature control, balance and understanding of materials and glaze technologies demanded by the Crystalline process reflect John's mastery of his craft over many years  Like gems from deep beneath the earth's crust, John's pots are individually formed from natural materials. Their metamorphosis is completed deep within the white hot fire of the potters kiln and they emerge into the world radiating with an illuminated high quality finish and an alluring spectrum of stunning glaze formations and colours. The Crystalline process is synonymous with beauty, depth, life and energy and is sought-after by collectors who appreciate this potter's technical skill, his strong elegant shapes and technical virtuosity.