Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. If a bowl is broken, rather than discarding the pieces, the fragments are put back and the cracks are adorned with gold. There are no attempts to hide the damage, instead, it is highlighted. The practice has come to represent the idea that beauty can be found in imperfection. The breakage is an opportunity and applying this kind of thinking to instances of failure in our own lives can be helpful.

Join Shaker Heritage Society and hvkintsugi for a unique workshop based on the ancient Japanese practice of Kintsugi. This workshop will be led by local Art Therapist Tara DeLuca.

During the workshop you will connect with your bowl, break it, confront the damage and take ownership of the pieces that remain by glueing them back together.

The bowl will be changed forever, just as each person is through their own personal experiences.

This is a calming, shared experience. It is an excellent way to participate in self care.

“Instead of masking the flaws, a Japanese way of seeing things is that by highlighting the cracks, the piece becomes stronger, more beautiful, and easier to use.”

Tara provides each participant a bowl, tools to break the bowl, paints, gold, glue, and a box to transport your new bowl home in.