Peter Rushforth first stiudied art following World War II, along with a number of ex-servicemen, at RMIT and the National Art School, he was also influenced by the work of Alan Lowe. In1951 Rushforth moved to Sydney, established a studio and joined the staff of the National Art School, East Sydney, where he eventually became head teacher of ceramics.

Peter Rushforth has held more than 30 solo exhibitions in Australia and overseas, including many in Japan, as well as participating in numerous gruop shows in Australia, in the USA, Asia and Europe.
His work is represented in the National Gallery, Canberra, and state and Regional Galleries as well as private collections throughout the world.
In 1985 he was awarded the Order of Australia for his services to pottery. In that year the National Gallery of Victoria held a retrospective exhibition of his work.
Peter Rushforth prooduces high-fired stoneware vessels using jun(chun), tenmoku, limestone ans ash glazes. Produced in a wood fired kiln, each of his pots is unique in it's form and glaze quality.
Living with the vistas of valleys, bushland and mountain escarpmentspossibly influences Peter Rushforth's choice of colours and textures. However as he say's "Dominating my pots are the processes themselves, fire, clay, and the earth materials that form the essence of individually made pots."
The glazes have their origin in the classical period of Chinese and Japanese ceramics, but the use of local materials and the personal statement of the potter make the relevant to our own society.
An example of his Chun glaze was presented by the NSW government to the City of Canton, and other examples of his work have been purchased for collections in overseas embassies, the high court of Australia and New Parliament House.