Neil Boughton began his ceramics career making tiles at Studio Dybka Tichy in Sydney before taking up a job at the Jamberoo Milk Factory in 1984. When the factory closed, he started his own pottery business, sharing a workshop with John Payne in an old chook shed at Albion Park Rail. The two sold their work at pottery parties and in craft shops around the Illawarra region. Boughton then bought a studio and gallery (the Fitzroy Gallery) in Fitzroy Falls. In July, 2014, he moved to the Potters Lane Studio in Robertson. He makes wheel-thrown forms influenced by medieval and classical ceramics, decorated using raku firing techniques and in-glaze lustres. His works are incised 'NB' or 'NBoughton' with the N and B sharing a stem, sometimes also with 'Aust' (incised). Recent work may be impressed 'NB'.

Neil also uses a numbering system on his pots which he explained in as follows:

"The first two numbers refer to the year in my pot making career and the last number/s refer to the month of that year. I started making pottery professionally in 1979. For example, I am currently putting "337" on the bases when I throw. I have been making pottery for 33 years and it is the 7th month hence '337'. (Australian Potters Marks).