Seth Czaplewski proposes recycling unused clay materials and broken ceramics by incorporating them into new ceramic works or converting them into biochar. Some materials that can be recycled include clay abandoned in studios, contaminated clay, excavated clay from other projects, wad and wash from ceramic production, and unwanted or broken pots. Biochar is a charcoal-like material produced by heating biomass in low-oxygen conditions that can sequester carbon in soil for thousands of years and improve soil quality and plant growth. By recycling clay wastes and converting ceramics into biochar, Czaplewski aims to both reduce ceramic waste and educate the public about sustainable practices.

1. Seth Czaplewski
MFA 2014
Washington
University in St.
Louis

2. Recycling through ceramics
Paper
Unused clays left in a group studio,
contaminated clay, excavated clay from a
building project
Wad, wash, unwanted and broken pots
- Paper
- Clay abandoned in a group studio,
contaminated clay, or excavated clay
from another project
- Wad, wash, unwanted and broken
ceramics

3. Not only to
reduce waste
as a
ceramicist, but
to interact with
the public
about
sustainable
practices.

4. Technical

5. Artistic

6. Paper clay and Paper slips
Paper clay (cone 10) Paper slip (cone 6)
Paper pulp (to taste) 80 LBS water
Sand (to taste) Minimum 3 pounds Paper pulp
36% Hawthorne Bond Fire Clay 25% EPK
18.5% EPK 25% Ball Clay
18.5% Gold Art 25% Silica
9% Ball Clay 25% Neph SY
9% XX Sagger Suspension agent of choice
9% G200 I use Darven 11

18. Artistic examples of paper slip

22. -Clay abandoned in a group
studio,
-Contaminated clay,
-Excavated clay from another
project

23. Cob
• Clay
• Sand
• Straw

37. What can be done with wad, wash,
and abandoned ceramics

40. Bio Char
Tera Preta
Black Earth
Activated Charcoal
-Heat without oxygen under 1200F
- Can be done in a barrel, kiln, a hole in the
ground that is smothered, on an industrial
level.

43. Why make Bio Char?
• It sequesters atmospheric carbon in the
ground
• It helps eliminate toxins in the ground and
water
• Agricultural test’s show it can increase
yields up to 800% in some studies
• Beneficial bacteria thrive in bio char soils
• It improves the soil for thousands of years
by storing nutrients