"I have been working with clay for about 45 years. But much of that time has been in hiatus as life intervened. I started after a prolonged visit to Cornwall, with lots of hiking and visiting galleries, which of course included St Ives, when Leach was still there. His ethos informs my choices of forms and glazes, as does Cardew’s.  My first and only formal instruction was with a Japanese potter in southern California. 
I tend toward traditional Japanese and Chinese glazes. I make all my own glazes from scratch. I have not used manufactured glazes since my early days, which means the results are unpredictable but often more interesting. In the same vein, I fire to 1280C, stoneware, which few potters do these days, making the results all the more unpredictable but often more interesting. The glaze on the pots you have seen is a high dolomite glaze, quite matte, depending on
the placement in the kiln and variations in temperature. I occasionally fire in reduction atmosphere but those pieces are in oxidation. 
I was involved with the Canterbury Potters group for a while around 2000, serving as vice-president. I rejoined recently and showed in their annual exhibition, with all my pieces selling, two to a collector. I have also exhibited at the Linwood
Gallery, selling quite a few pieces, and at the annual Christmas market."
-Jim Barribeau