The exhibition has two sections – the first is the artist's own collection of his works from a very successful career that has spanned 40 years. The second part of the exhibition is a collection of his recent lustre-glazed ceramics.

It is a pity the two exhibitions are shown together, as there is enough material from the artist's own collection to stage a definitive retrospective. Several survey exhibitions of Daly's work have toured regional galleries and it begs the question as to why the major art institutions do not take up the challenge of honouring our own leading ceramic artists.

It is a little overwhelming to make your way through the first part of the exhibition (apparently only a small sample of the artist's collection of his work and only half of the work seen in Cowra). I wondered why the artist had such a large collection, as most artists only start collecting their own work when they have become successful and can afford not to sell every piece they make. The answer to my question was resolved by the artist's explanation in the catalogue essay. In one of his first exhibitions he put a high price on one of his favourite pots thinking no-one would buy it. It was instead bought as a personal purchase by Ken Hood, then deputy director of the National Gallery of Victoria. It was Ken Hood who suggested to Daly that he keep some of his best pieces for his own collection.

There are many wonderful pots to discover in this exhibition. There is no direct line of development; instead the artist has worked in circles, re-discovering and revisiting glazes and forms that have worked in the past.

It is tempting to see the influence of Japanese potters in Daly's early work, particularly in the large platters and the gestural mark that ornaments much of the early work. However, the principles on which Daly has constructed his art practice become apparent. Instead of highlighting the material qualities of the clay by emphasising its colour and texture, Daly allows the clay vessel to become a vehicle for a dazzling play of surface light and colour.

In some ways these are painter's pots - the artist uses the surface of his vessels as a canvas where he experiments with colour and light. That is not to say that Daly does not consider the pot's form. His assurance and command of wheel throwing and his respect for the form of the pot - its balance, proportion and elegance - are evident in the clay forms he throws on the wheel. For Daly, all factors - the pot, glaze and decoration - must be in harmony and worthy of each other.

Among the display of ceramics I was drawn to a selection from 1986. The two round-bellied pots in a rich black enamel glaze and an aqua blue glaze are a perfect example of the form of the pot being enhanced by its decoration. In the case of the black pot, a gold leaf mirror motif is slashed across by a red calligraphic brush stroke. The blue pot has a gold motif where the gold leaf is a free flowing gesture across the glaze.

The second part of the exhibition is new work. The artist has always been aware of the landscape and it has always been a subtle presence in his work. Daly has returned to the use of lustre glazes after some years - he result of writing a book titled Developing Glazes, published in 2013. He has said that the works are the result of the light where he lives in Cowra - a long low horizon where the light diffuses through cloud, mist, dust and the heat of late afternoon and early morning.

These pots are dazzling in their surfaces and textures. Daly orchestrates this light with the skill and bravado of an artist in full command of his craft but open to experimentation. A small of group of pots called Dappled Light 11, Night Grasses and Golden Evening demonstrate a beautiful palette of blues including an intense deep blue that evokes the moody nocturnal shades of nightfall. The group of pots numbered 34 to 42 also have linear patterns that drip in a controlled way, creating movement around their surfaces. In other pots the colour is splashed on in vivid abstract patterns made by the glazes as they are fired. A stunning work, New Day is a large pot (50-centimetres high) that is clothed in a remarkable dark yellow glaze cut through with a vivid blue streak of colour. It almost seems to glow from within.

In the midst of all this colour and light, I was drawn to two tall globular shaped vessels Darkening Sky No. 26 and Dust and Drought No. 27 that are more reflective in mood. These are beautiful, evocative works with surfaces that speak of nature's differing light as you move around them.

This exhibition has drawn attention to the long and distinguished career of Greg Daly, who is still making wonderful pots. It is also an indication of the richness and bounty of his work that will hopefully be the subject for another major exhibition in the future.

Reflections: ceramics by Greg Daly - Belconnen Arts Centre. Until October 19.