Arts Thread

10% of household energy is used by domestic fridges. The UK produces 14 million tonnes of food waste each year. Why are we wasting electricity on food that we then waste? Terracooler is a modern take on the ‘zeer pot’ an ancient method of cooling that dates back to 3000BC. Using the natural properties of terracotta, all you have to do to keep your food cool is water it. A collection of double walled slip cast pieces that are designed to keep vegetables, fruit and dairy cool. The hollow handles allow the user to pick each unit up, whilst providing a spout for the water to be poured through. The porosity of the terracotta absorbs the water, cooling the food as it evaporates. Terracooler not only reduces energy consumption for food that should not be stored in a fridge, but makes the user more aware of food storage and less likely to let good produce go to waste.

A research experiment into the ways in which industrial waste can be used in ceramic glazes to encourage a more sustainable practice. Ceramics tends to be viewed as a wholesome and natural antidote to mass production and machinery. This may be true in regards to the practice of making itself but when looking into the sustainability of it, there are lots of grey areas. Most people think of the kiln firings being the only issue in sustainable ceramic practice, however the materials used are completely overlooked. The mining of raw materials is destroying out planet. Landscapes are being ruined, habitats destroyed and finite resources being used up. In this project I have decided to focus on ceramic glazes. Instead of using mined, raw materials I have locally sourced industrial waste using methods learnt from Sara Howard's 'Circular Ceramics'. The two main forms of waste I have used are glass and stone slurries, both of which would have otherwise been sent to landfill. I have approached this project as one would an experiment, meticulously documenting glaze recipes and tests along the way to come up with a collection of vessels to exhibit my research. SAND is a visual representation of research to inform people of how sustainable practice can be implemented and the beauty that waste can create.