I have to tell you a story from the studio.
As an artist, you learn that the kiln is full of surprises... and not always the ones you want! I spent hours working on this one ceramic plate. I was so excited about it. I had used wax crayons for the lines and was dreaming of how the colorful glaze would look.
I opened the kiln, and... my heart sank. It was broken. Snapped right in two.
My first feeling was frustration, which I think any creator understands! But then, I looked at the two pieces, and I thought of Kintsugi.
What is Kintsugi?
Kintsugi is a beautiful, ancient Japanese art form for repairing broken pottery. But here's the part I love: instead of trying to hide the cracks, Kintsugi highlights them. You use a special lacquer mixed with real gold.
The idea is that the piece is now more beautiful and more valuable because it was broken. It's a celebration of its history and its imperfections.
I thought, "Okay, this is a sign." This plate wasn't a failure; it was an opportunity!
Giving my broken plate a new life
So, I decided to try it. I carefully mixed golden dust into the epoxy clay (my own little twist on the technique) and began to piece the plate back together.
It was a slow, lovely process. I wasn't just "fixing" it; I was giving it a whole new story.
And look...
The beauty of being imperfect
Here is the final piece! That crack, which I first saw as a mistake, has now become its most beautiful feature. The gold line is like a little river running through it, full of light.
It's such a wonderful reminder, isn't it? It's a story I think about a lot when I'm in the studio, creating my art. Sometimes, the "happy accidents" are the best part of the process.
This piece is now one of my most special, a one-of-a-kind reminder to always find the beauty in the cracks.
With love from my studio,
Ciao
