It is my pleasure to present the 2017 New Zealand Potters 58th National Exhibition.

I joined the Society in 1979 as part of the last group of potters whose work had to be successfully assessed before they were accepted into the Society. The following year the Society was opened up to anyone who paid the subscription.  Between 1988 and 1991 I was president of the Society and in 2016 I was made a Life Member.

In 1987 I was convenor of the Society’s convention, here in Whanganui, and organizer of the Exhibition at the Sarjeant Gallery.  For that exhibition Jean Hastedt, Bill Milbank and John Parker selected 74 works by 37 makers from the 207 works by 86 makers who submitted.

This year Paul Winspear, the selector, chose 67 works by 35 makers from the 95 works submitted by46 makers.

Of the 37 exhibitors from 1987 only four are exhibiting this year, Anneke Borren, Royce McGlashen, Gaeleen Morley and myself.

I would like to thank all those involved in the organization and participation of this exhibition and especially commend Aimée McLeod for her work as the organizer of this and the other two NZ Potters exhibitions she has organized this year.

I hope you enjoy the exhibition; it is good to see NZ Potters return to Whanganui thirty years after they were last here.

Rick Rudd
2017