John was a fulltime professional studio potter until 1997, when he started what he expected to be a short hiatus from the studio to focus on developing The Avens Gallery in Canmore, Alberta.

His first training with clay took place in Ontario in the early 70's, where he apprenticed at Wilton Pottery and then studied under Robin Hopper at Georgian College.

John shared workspace with Tony Bloom at Stonecrop Studios for many years, as well as operating Notch Hill Pottery in the interior of British Columbia, prior to establishing the studio 'of Cabbages & Kings' in Canmore.

The studio is again producing a full range of functional and one-of-a-kind clay work (although John still finds little time to be in the studio), as his daughter Katie Borrowman is now working as a studio potter.