Unlike most of my posts, this one is going to be pretty long-winded without a lot of pretty pictures but I hope it’s useful. Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about ways to conserve resources in my studio and I wanted to share some of the methods I’ve been using. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have additional ideas.

1. Three Buckets of Water

I installed a clay trap on my sink awhile back to avoid plumbing problems while working with clay. However, I rarely use the sink. Instead, I use (3) 5 gallon plastic buckets. One for clean water, one for somewhat dirty water, and one for very dirty water. Working with clay is a water intensive activity and this saves a lot of water.

2. Recycle Early in the Process

The best time to cast off a piece is early in the process, specifically during the greenware stage. An undesirable piece can be tossed into the clay recycling bin anytime before the first firing. Once a piece has been fired, it can no longer be recycled. It makes no sense to try and salvage a piece; just remake it.

3. Only Fire Full Kilns

This one seems obvious but I’m guilty of not doing this in the past. I used to fire smaller loads if I had a deadline. These days, the full load takes priority. I’d rather communicate with a customer about a delay than fire a half full kiln. So far, no one has complained about having to wait an extra week for their piece.

4. Refire Glazed Pieces

Some people sell items with glaze imperfections as “seconds” but I’ve never been comfortable with the concept of seconds for a few reasons (that topic should probably be a separate post). Instead, I’ve found that most glaze defects like crawling, pinholes, or debris stuck to the glaze surface can be repaired quite easily with a dremel tool and a dab of glaze. It’s a little tricky with colored glazes but when using clear glaze it’s very straightforward.

5. Grinding Wheel

A grinding wheel can salvage a piece whose only failing is an uneven bottom. They come in a wide range of grades from coarse to super fine. Smoothing the bottom of a piece with a very fine sanding disk gives it a nice professional feel. Always use lots of water when grinding or sanding to avoid breathing in dangerous particles.

6. Kintsugi

Learn and practice the ancient art of kintsugi. This is one I haven’t actually done but it’s a great way to save a piece that’s made it all the way through the lengthy ceramic process only to break during the glaze firing or during use.

Kintsugi is the process of repairing a broken piece of pottery with lacquer and often gold powder. As I understand it, it’s a process that celebrates the events of the piece and is analogous to the changes that take place in our lives.

I have a bin full of broken pieces just waiting for their next chapter.