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COMMISSIONS

kintsugi gold powder being applied to natural tree sap urushi lacquer
Small blue and brown glazed bowl broken into seven pieces, cupped in kintsugi artist's hands
White Japanese cherry blossom signifying new life and transience

A New Beginning
for Your Piece

Pricing

I can provide a rough estimate based on photographs and measurements. For a quote you will need to send the piece. If you decide not to go ahead with the commission, see postage details below.

For a sense of what your piece might cost, here is the guide I use when measuring damage for a hybrid western-Japanese kintsugi quote. You can also have a look at my portfolio, where costs of individual commissions are posted.

£50 per 10cm line of surface mend

£50 per square cm of filled chips or replacement area

£25 per 10 cm of dismantling and clean-up of old mends

Any work over £200 (equivalent to 50cm linear surface mend) is charged at a reduced rate of 50%

Full Japanese urushi mends are assessed individually - they usually take longer and are individually assessed.

24 carat gold finish incurs a small additional charge for materials (see portfolio for examples)

Pricing
Promise

Promise

When I work with your cherished ceramic piece, my goal is to bring it into a new phase of life; ready for use again, more profoundly beautiful and meaningful than it was before breaking.

My Kintsugi practice is underpinned by a fine arts education at Chelsea College of Art, London. When I began to specialise in kintsugi in 2013, I first studied with Iku Nishikawa in Oxford, and more recently with David Pike, based in Nara, Japan. My approach to Kintsugi as an art of compassion and rebirth draws on several years’ work as an NHS midwife and a decades-long spiritual practice rooted in Tibetan and Japanese Buddhist traditions.

In my role as artist-midwife, helping your piece be reborn into a new phase of its story, I bring all the precision, patience, tenderness and care needed for the kintsugi process, not just to fix the piece but to renew its story and midwife it into wholeness.

I love to work in communication with you, the client, so that I really ‘get’ what you want me to achieve for your piece and so, if you wish, you can have some insight into your piece’s kintsugi process. I’m more than happy to involve you in creative decision making, such as around choices of colour, texture and finish.

Process

Repair options & timescales

Currently I offer traditional Japanese urushi (tree sap) lacquer kintsugi, or a a hybrid western-Japanese kintsugi. This involves using epoxy adhesive & filler followed by up to 7 layers of urushi lacquer.

 

Each layer is cured for at least 24 hours in warm, humid conditions then meticulously sanded smooth.

 

The many-layered mend can be finished either with 24 carat gold, gold-hued brass or with red-brown or black lacquer. The lacquer is completely food-safe with wet foods such as soups & hot drinks. The 24 carat gold, also food-safe, gives a quiet matt gold finish. The brass is also very beautiful, more shiny and considerably cheaper than gold. However, it is not food safe. It is suitable for decorative items, vases & areas not coming into direct contact with food, such as handles.

 

The curing time of each layer of urushi lacquer can vary batch to batch & with environmental humidity & temperature levels.

On average I allow 8-12 weeks for a repair. A timescale for your piece will form part of the quote.

Process
Delivery an insurance

Delivery and insurance

P & P is from £15 via Royal Mail Special Delivery with £500+ loss/damage compensation cover. To be confirmed with quote.

I recommend 'double boxing' your piece for transit, with plenty of packing material inside each layer.

If you wish you can deliver and collect your piece to me in Stroud.

Alternatively I offer personal delivery at a rate of £20/hour. To be confirmed with quote.

In line with other ceramic repair services, I do not have insurance for your piece whilst it is with me. 

The unexpected

Timescales, guarantee and the unexpected

Kintsugi is an art not a science.

 

If you are looking for a quick fix my service is most likely not the right fit for you. I allow 8 weeks for most commissions, and usually this is ample time. Occasionally, as the work progresses, I will make the decision, together with the client, to extend the original timeframe so I can achieve the outcome that feels right for them.

Kintsugi involves a great deal of filling, sanding and smoothing and all pieces are unique in terms of their materials and type of damage and some present surprises along the way. The process is part of the journey of the piece, leaving traces, both expected and unexpected. Depending on the nature of the ceramics and glaze, there is always the possibility of minor scratching, chipping or scuffing occurring to surrounding surfaces. I take great care to minimise this and, if it does occur, it is often possible to incorporate it into the lacquer work. To date, this has not been an issue for any of my clients, but I prefer to be transparent about the process up-front. When quoting, I will let you know if the materials of your piece seem particularly susceptible to scratching.

Your satisfaction with the finished artwork is my top priority. I will work with you and your piece to achieve this. If it transpires that this is not possible, I offer a genuine full refund.

Care guide

Care guide

Kintsugi is art with purpose  – with a little care any piece mended with kintsugi can still be used. Of course, the pieces are somewhat fragile and the gold (or silver) can be rubbed off with rough treatment, so here are some pointers:

  1. Treat your kintsugi mindfully and gently.

  2. Japanese tableware is designed with chopsticks in mind. Use of metal cutlery on a kintsugi piece is not recommended.

  3. Do not place your piece over direct heat or steam, or in the microwave or oven.

  4. Wash with tepid water, or you can use a 5% solution of gentle washing up liquid to water.

  5. After washing, dry thoroughly with a dry towel. Do not leave the piece in water.

  6. Never use the dishwasher or the finish will come off and lacquer work may start to lift away.

  7. Do not use a hard sponge, brush, scourer or a harsh cleanser when you wash.

  8. If you wish to stack several pieces, place a sheet of cloth or kitchen paper between each layer. If you have a piece on display, please stand it on a cloth rather than a hard surface. If it slides across the surface, there is a risk any metal finish will be scraped away.

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