Portland Japanese Garden is partnering with Emi Joyce, a Portland-based kintsugi restorer and instructor, to provide two modern kintsugi workshops on November 9. Kintsugi (金継ぎ, gold joinery) is the Japanese craft of repairing ceramics. In this centuries-old practice, fractures transform from hidden weak points into beautiful golden elements worth celebrating. The philosophy of kintsugi teaches us to embrace imperfections in our life and appreciate the beauty of human flaws. While the traditional method used by experts is challenging and requires cautious handling of materials like urushi lacquer, the “modern” kintsugi method uses accessible materials and is ideal for beginners. The Garden is thrilled to offer this opportunity for its guests to get hands-on experience with this beloved artform as it simultaneously presents its final art exhibition of 2024, Kintsugi: The Restorative Art of Naoko Fukumaru.
Participants can register for the morning session (9:30am – 12:30pm) or the afternoon session (1:30pm – 4:30pm). Each workshop will include three hours of instruction. Participation is limited to 12 students for each session. Beginners are welcome.
All supplies will be provided as part of the price of admission to this workshop, including a broken ceramic bowl. Please bring a cardboard box or something similar that will allow you to carry your items home without touching the repaired parts. Please also note that the ceramic vessel you will be repairing is not food safe—it is intended for display only.
NOTE: Participants are also welcome to bring a couple of damaged glazed ceramics, but please review the following guidelines:
- The item must be 10 inches or smaller.
- The material must be ceramic or porcelain.
- Please do not bring glass, wood, damaged family heirlooms, or items broken into more than four pieces.
- Chips must be half an inch or less.
About Emi Joyce:
Emi Joyce, formerly a full-time bench jeweler and apparel designer, is currently a kintsugi restorer and instructor, repairing hundreds of broken ceramics and regularly teaching kintsugi in Portland, Oregon. Her lifelong craftsmanship and knowledge of fine motor skills moved on to repair ceramics. Instead of creating new products, Joyce loves mending damaged, but precious objects to give them new life. In 2010, her pursuits in textile education, a fine jewelry career, and experimental music scenes eventually led her to leave her birthplace of Tokyo, Japan to settle in Portland, Oregon, where greater access to nature changed her life. You can learn more about Joyce’s kintsugi work on her Instagram: @modernkintsugirepairpdx.
