John Mossman was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. After a stint in the Army, he settled in Seattle, Washington in 1971. He formally trained as a scientific and technical illustrator at the University of Washington and freelanced for many years. He returned to Omaha in 1995 and became a full-time potter, studying with Jerry Horning at Creighton University. In addition to creating his artwork, he teaches at Creighton University through the Joslyn Art Museum.