Introduction to Kintsugi, Westonbirt

Join me...

to learn the Japanese art of kintsugi repair for broken ceramics. Spend a relaxed few hours with likeminded folk, mindfully immersed in the processes, tools and materials of kintsugi. You will be supported to complete a repair using epoxy, coated with traditional natural Japanese Urushi (tree sap) lacquer and finally finished with brass powder. You can even follow up the workshop by hunting for the three Urushi (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) trees growing at Westonbirt. Your booking is secured with a £10 deposit. Please bring £40 in cash on the day, or contact me for alternative payment methods. All materials for the workshop, and a hot drink included in the price. Kintsugi kit to take home available with prior notice (cost - £80, cash preferred) WHAT TO EXPECT This workshop is suitable for complete beginners. If you wish to bring a piece to work on, it needs to be a simple break, with just two or three pieces and one or two small chips, and an open shape such as a plate, dish or shallow bowl rather than something with a tighter opening such as a cup or jug. If you aren’t sure if your piece is suitable please do send me a picture and I'll let you know. Otherwise, suitable pieces will be available for you to choose from. Starting with a discussion of the practical process and exploration of the various tools and materials involved, you will be supported to reconstruct your piece using modern epoxy, overpainting the repair with traditional Japanese urushi lacquer and finishing to a stunning gold-hued shine with fine brass powder. Brass is not food-safe. For a finish that can be used in contact with food, urushi lacquer works well as a final layer. We will be working with urushi, which is lacquer made from the sap of the Chinese lacquer tree Toxicodendron vernicifluum. Urushi is completely food-safe when fully cured. However it can be highly irritant to some people if it comes into contact with their skin, causing reactions similar to poison ivy. Please wear long sleeves and leg covering. Gloves are provided.