Peter Colbert has lived all his life in the Wimmera, farming west of Nhill. He has been a potter for many years, and now that he is retired from the family farm, he is enjoying being able to dedicate more time to his hobby.

He uses white earthenware clay so that he can decorate with underglaze colours before the works are glaze fired. His signature design has been his loose “impressionist” flowers. He also enjoys doing fish and other floral or natural themes, and each article is different!

“I am a self-taught potter, who finds pleasure in creating something that I hope is both functional and pleasing to the eye, from a lump of clay. I use commercially manufactured earthenware, with a lead-free clear glaze over my own unique designs. The pots are made on an old stand-up kick-wheel and then fired in our electric kiln.”

Each piece is unique, they have many practical uses or can simply be enjoyed as an “objet d’art”.

To date Peter has sold almost 900 pieces in Nhill’s own Art Gallery – which is a great organisation that promotes the many talented artists in our district. It has built a reputation that attracts many of the travellers who pass through Nhill, and who make a point of stopping to see what is on display and often buying something unique to take home.

This article appeared in the Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 11 March 2026.