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Writer's pictureTamara Rodgers

Kintsugi: The Art of Repair Explained

In a world that often incentivizes the new and the perfect, Silver Sage Ceramics honors the beauty of the broken and repaired through its Kintsugi workshop. Kintsugi, an age-old Japanese practice, repairs broken ceramics with gold, redefining damage as an integral part of an object's aesthetic journey rather than an endpoint.


The Philosophy Behind Kintsugi

Kintsugi, meaning 'golden joinery' in Japanese, is a centuries-old ceramic repair technique that emphasizes, rather than hides, the breakage and repair. Instead of aiming for invisibility, Kintsugi celebrates the fractures by filling them with gold or metal-infused lacquer. The philosophy behind Kintsugi, deeply rooted in the Buddhist concepts of impermanence, suffering, and the emptiness of self, embraces imperfections and life's transformative potential.


The process of Kintsugi echoes the idea of "wabi-sabi," capturing the beauty in imperfection. It is a poignant reminder that true beauty can be imperfect or even incomplete. It’s an art that portrays breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to hide or obsolete.


The Kintsugi Process

Practicing Kintsugi involves binding broken pieces together using a lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. The result is a striking design of intricate, gleaming veins tracing the points of breakage, turning something broken into something more beautiful and valuable.


The Kintsugi process is meticulous, often requiring several weeks to complete. It starts by cleaning and drying the broken pieces before using a special adhesive to join them back together. After allowing enough time for the adhesive to harden, the golden paste is applied to any visible cracks remaining to highlight, rather than hide, the repair.


Kintsugi at Silver Sage Ceramics

At Silver Sage Ceramics, we recognize and admire the profound life lessons that Kintsugi embodies. We are eager to share the beauty of this technique with our community, which has led us to include a dedicated Kintsugi workshop in our classes.


Our Kintsugi workshop is designed for both beginners and experienced participants, with no previous ceramics experience required. Under the guidance of our accomplished instructors, participants get the opportunity to explore this unique art of repair.


We provide all necessary materials, including ceramic items, for those new to ceramic art. For individuals who have a broken item that's close to their heart, they're welcome to bring it along and give it a new lease of life through Kintsugi.


By the end of the workshop, not only will you walk away with a beautiful Kintsugi ceramic piece, but also with a deepened understanding of the philosophy behind it. Through your hands-on experience, you will grasp a tangible interpretation of wabi-sabi, experiencing first-hand the transformative process of damage turning into beauty.


Conclusion

Kintsugi is much more than just a repair method; it's a philosophy and a celebration of resilience. At Silver Sage Ceramics, we're privileged to not only share this technique but the extraordinary life lessons it embodies as well. Through our Kintsugi workshop, we aim to create a platform for participants to explore the artistic and philosophical elements of this timeless Japanese art. Join us to experience this golden journey of transformation.


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