Reclaimed Ceramic Materials
status
materials
materials
various
The studio’s ceramic practice is based on using natural materials and simple recipes. We strive for a tangible connection with place through sustainable processes. In an urban context, this involves reclaiming materials from local manufacturers or collecting materials from already disturbed land. We have used leftover coffee grinds; wood ash from a local pizza restaurant; clay from a Brooklyn brownstone construction site; clay from a landscaped bike trail in New Jersey; and slurry from a stone supplier.
We seek to use all parts of the material we collect - from larger rocks as grog in a clay body, to finer particles for glazes, and saving all leftovers for recycling and reuse. This involves a series of tests to understand the character of these materials and allow their voices to shine. The process is slow, mindful, and meditative, requiring many rounds of sampling before coming to a staple used in our ceramic collections. The end is an object that embodies a tiny microcosm of its locale.
Roadside Geology of New York
B y Bradford B. Van Diver
Reciprocal Landscapes: Stories of Material Movements
B y Jane Hutton
Wild Clay: Creating Ceramics and Glazes from Natural and Found Resources
By Matt Levy, Takuro Shibata and Hiromi Shibata
Glazes from Natural Sources
B y Brian Sutherland
Chinese Glazes: Their Origins, Chemistry and Recreation
B y Nigel Wood