Brad Klem reads a copy of the NCECA journal while sitting on his “throne,” a critique of British Petroleum’s attempt to evade corporate responsibility by emphasizing personality responsibility.

What could be more sustainable than ceramics, right? Feldspar, the main component of clay, constitutes 60 percent of the earth’s crust. Water covers 70 percent of the earth’s surface (admittedly, most of it has salt). We’re not likely to run out of either anytime soon. Firing? Ok, that’s a problem, especially in a wood-burning kiln. Electric kilns then, powered by solar energy? Like almost all facets of life in the Anthropocene, art is entangled in the pressing issues of sustainability (even when the art itself addresses sustainability: look no further than the artist who flies thousands of miles for a residency where they’ll make work talking about climate change). Sourcing art supplies? Problem. Shipping work across the country—or oceans? Problem; bigger problem. Catering to the world’s elite who fly to art fairs in private jets? Seems like we might as well give up right now.

Treading Lightly: Walking the Talk, co-curated by Lisa Orr and Pots on Wheels for the NCECA 2025 conference in Salt Lake City this week, says, Please don’t. Featuring sixteen artists who incorporate environmentally conscious practices into their creative processes, the exhibition encourages viewers to reflect on their relationship with the natural world and the role of sustainability in artistic production. There are no easy answers, and in one way or another, we’re all hypocrites, but the questions are worth asking.

“When I view works in a show with an ecological theme, I get cognitive dissonance when I consider what its carbon footprint might be,” Orr says. But she also notes, “So many potters I know are learning to consider the CO2 footprint in the works they create.” While some artists naturally gravitate toward low-impact materials and methods, others actively challenge unsustainable practices in the field. “We invited artists that addressed environmental notions from a variety of perspectives: firing, glaze chemicals used, clay mining or buying, and distance traveled to source materials, even packing and energy used to ship out to the gallery.”

Installation view of “Tread Lightly” with works by Namoi Dalglish and Michael Hunt (right), Justin Lambert and Kate Roberts.

Work by Julia Galloway (left) and Scott Parady.

To deepen the conversation, each artwork in the exhibition is accompanied by a CO2 footprint calculation generated by Mobius Ecochain software. While acknowledging that no system is perfect, Orr emphasizes that these calculations provide valuable insight into the environmental costs associated with materials, firing methods and transportation. In a lighthearted moment while installing the show, Orr says, “Fights may break out when the wood-firing artists see how bad their scores are.” But even these calculations can be complex, highlighting the issues any artist trying to lessen their footprint must struggle with. As Orr points out, while wood releases CO2 during firing, this is part of the natural carbon cycle—the same CO2 that would be released if the wood decayed naturally. The environmental impact of wood firing, therefore, depends largely on whether one views this process as carbon-neutral or as contributing to atmospheric carbon.

Orr notes that nearly all the wood-firing artists included in Treading Lightly employ techniques that minimize smoke and harmful particulates, addressing environmental concerns while preserving this traditional firing method. For instance, thirty years ago, John Neely, a professor at Utah State University, developed the Train Kiln, which achieves heavy ash surfaces similar to traditional Japanese Anagama, but uses less wood and human power than a tube kiln (see podcast here). Similarly, Paulina Jimenez Gomez of Chiapas, Mexico, employs a Kusakabe-style smokeless kiln, which offers a cleaner alternative to traditional firing processes. Orr herself developed a smokeless wood-fired kiln, called the Rocket Kiln, built from upcycled materials, inspired by efficient cooking stove designs originating in Guatemala in the 1980s.  It requires minimal fuel and emits little smoke. Artists like Chris Alveshere and Yuliya Makliuk have used it to fire their works.

Sourcing clay is another aspect several artists have tackled. Jimenez Gomez minimizes her environmental impact by sourcing clay locally, avoiding the transportation-related emissions common among many ceramicists who rely on materials shipped from across the continent. Recognizing the environmental costs of traditional porcelain—which often requires imported clay from New Zealand and high firing temperatures— Bryan Hopkins has developed a low-fire porcelain made from locally sourced clay mixed with frit (powdered glaze). This innovative blend achieves the same translucent white quality prized in porcelain while reducing both energy consumption and transportation impact. Hopkins’ electric kiln is also powered by nuclear energy, making his overall CO2 score very low—0.35.

Jane Bamford builds ceramic habitats for penguins.

Bradley Klem’s score? Not so great: 54.72. Sixty-two percent of the score derives from the electric firing of the piece (natural gas and coal still power most of the electricity in the United States). The rest comes from shipping. But Klem’s piece is a pushback against the very idea of a “carbon footprint.” His ceramic toilet, adorned with classical Greek-inspired illustrations, critiques corporate environmental negligence, particularly the BP Oil Deepwater Horizon spill. It was BP’s advertising firm that came up with the concept of the “carbon footprint,” a way to focus on personal guilt rather than systemic responsibility. The rim of Klem’s bowl reads, in part, “They build their empire in fire and filth, then hand you the brush to scrub it clean.”

In an attempt to be more environmentally conscious, Jane Bamford has shifted her focus from creating decorative porcelain to collaborating with scientists on ceramic installations designed to restore aquatic environments. These projects use clay’s natural durability to create structures that support ecosystems disrupted by climate change or invasive species. Yet Bamford, and her work, has to fly from Tasmania to participate in NCECA’s conference in Salt Lake City.

Orr says they did not create this exhibit as a “gotcha” moment in which artists are shamed for their carbon footprints. “What we are trying to do is shine a light on what people are able to accomplish in terms of lowering their CO2 footprint.  Each artist also offered their own sustainability statement, which will hang next to their piece.  It is interesting and inspriing to look at the art and the calculation side by side, not to mention learning about the nuts and bolts of how artists are able to accomplish what they did in this show.”

The result is an exhibition that is both visually compelling and thought-provoking. It challenges visitors to reflect on the delicate balance between artistic expression and environmental responsibility. The art is beautiful (and we need beauty). But at what cost, the exhibition asks?

Even staging an exhibition is problematic. At one point while installing the show at the Mestizo Institute of Culture and Arts, Orr and her team decided they needed a few things from the hardware store. “Not Home Depot,” someone shouts to the rest, referencing the company’s poor environmental record. “Lowe’s?” another replies. “Are we boycotting Lowe’s?”

The curatorial team of “Tread Lightly” discuss which hardware company is the lesser evil. Large jar by Scott Parady in the foreground, and Brad Clem’s “throne” in the rear.

Treading Lightly: Walking the Talk, Mestizo Institute of Arts & Culture, Salt Lake City, through April 25.

All images courtesy of the author.

Shawn Rossiter

The founder of Artists of Utah and editor of its online magazine, 15 Bytes, Shawn Rossiter has undergraduate degrees in English, French and Italian Literature and studied Comparative Literature in graduate school before pursuing a career in art.