Errol Barnes has been a significant potter in Queensland for many years. He trained at the Central Technical College in the early 1960s under Milton Moon and Carl McConnell. He has held four solo exhibitions, Design Arts Centre, Brisbane (1969), Gallery 1-11, Brisbane (1970), and the Ray Hughes Gallery, Brisbane and The Aladdin Gallery, Sydney in 1974. Since that time he has been largely involved with setting up a commercial pottery on the Gold Coast hinterland, the Lyrebird Ridge Pottery. In the early years of the 1980s he set up the Lyrebird Gallery in Brisbane where he also held an exhibition. One of the most interesting developments in his work has been his collaboration with the artists of the Ray Hughes Gallery. Errol Barnes throws the pieces, which the artists then decorate. Formerly a large range of artists were involved, but recently this collaboration has been reduced to only three artists. Gavin Chilcott was born in New Zealand and educated at the Auckland Technical Institute in 1967 and the Elam School of Fine Art 1968-70. He has been in receipt of grants from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council in 1980, 1984 and 1986. He is represented in many New Zealand public collections and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Brisbane. He has exhibited extensively with commercial and public galleries in New Zealand and has exhibited with the Ray Hughes Gallery in Brisbane in 1983, 1984 and 1989 and in Sydney 1985, 1986 and 1988. He is also represented in '20 Australian Artists', the Venice Biennale exhibition mounted by Ray Hughes Gallery which was recently shown at the QAG. Gavin Chilcott, although a New Zealand artist, has been involved with the Ray Hughes Gallery since 1983. Of all of the Ray Hughes Gallery artists he is the one most interested in working in this manner. In fact most of his own art work is expressed within decorative art traditions. His 1989 show, for instance, was composed of large urn shaped cut outs standing on the floor and hand made furniture. A series of plates and bowls, decorated in the same vein as 'Table top: Oceania', were also exhibited at the Lyrebird Ridge Pottery. The acquisition of this piece establishes an important link with contemporary New Zealand art (to date almost unrepresented in the Collection) and also documents an important and continuing collaboration with a Queensland craftsman. It also is expressive of a tradition represented in the Gallery by the Picasso 'Large pitcher with two faces'. The simplified motifs of the work are vital and striking.

Queensland potter Errol Barnes trained under Milton Moon and Carl McConnell at the Central Technical College, Brisbane, in the early 1960s. His early solo exhibitions include Design Arts Centre, Brisbane (1969), Gallery 1-11, Brisbane (1970), Ray Hughes Gallery, Brisbane, and Aladdin Gallery, Sydney (1974). Barnes was involved with setting up a commercial pottery business on the Gold Coast hinterland, the Lyrebird Ridge Pottery, and in the early 1980s he established the Lyrebird Gallery in Brisbane.

An interesting development in Barnes's work was his collaboration with the artists of the Ray Hughes Gallery. Barnes would throw the pieces, which artists later decorated. Gavin Chilcott was one such artist: born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1950, he was educated at the Auckland Technical Institute (graphic arts) in 1967 and later the Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland (1968-70). Chilcott has received grants from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council in 1980, 1984 and 1986, and his work is represented in public collections in New Zealand and Australia. He has exhibited extensively with commercial and public art galleries in New Zealand and with Ray Hughes Gallery in Brisbane and Sydney during the 1980s. Chilcott was represented in '20 Australian Artists', the Venice Biennale exhibition mounted by Ray Hughes Gallery and staged at Queensland Art Gallery in 1990. Over the years Chilcott's art practice has become all encompassing: he not only produces ceramics but also paints, sculpts, and designs furniture and rugs.

Around the time that Oceania was created, much of Chilcott's work was being expressed within decorative art traditions: his 1989 show, for instance, was composed of large urn shaped cut outs standing on the floor, and hand made furniture. A series of plates and bowls, decorated in the same vein as Table top: Oceania, were also exhibited at the Lyrebird Ridge Pottery.