John Skelton works primarily in porcelain and white stoneware and in two different firing processes, wood firing and reduction. His pottery reflects an interest in traditional, historical forms from the Middle East, China, and Japan, often combining elements from different periods and places, creating interesting juxtapositions of surface and form. John’s work is quiet and elegant with a strong attention to detail and is often embellished with pattern created from wax resist, found objects, and hand-carved stamps.

John’s work has been included in numerous exhibitions and publications on a national and international level. Some of these exhibitions include The Ceramics Monthly International Competition in Columbus, Ohio, The Naked Truth International Juried Wood Fire Competition in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the Born of Ashes: Wood Fired Ceramics National Exhibition in Little Rock, Arkansas. His work has been accepted multiple times to the Strictly Functional Pottery National Competition in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he received the Second Place award in 2000. His work was also included in Ceramics Technical Magazine in 2004 and The Art of Contemporary American Pottery by Kevin Hluch.

John Skelton earned his BA at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He received an MFA from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. John taught in Minnesota at the Northern Clay Center and at The Blake School for two years before returning to Macon to teach ceramics at Wesleyan College in 1999. He currently teaches Ceramics and Sculpture at Wesleyan College.