BA Kingston University

New ceramics from ceramic waste

“Grog” is an aggregate that’s added to clay during ceramic production to improve its stability and drying properties. Currently, industry is using finite and energy-intensive sources of grog, such as silica sand. In an ongoing project, Esme’s Grogged Collection uses fired ceramic waste as an alternative grog. She collected many different types of waste, from white bone china to black stoneware and red brick. By mixing these into the same clay body, she can achieve a huge variety of colour and texture, depending on the size, density and colour of the added aggregate. She is making, for example, vessels, platters, cups and tiles. “Every piece I create is unique and unpredictable, just like waste streams that feed them,” she says.