In this 5-week course, you’ll learn to restore a small ceramic piece with minor breakage using a traditional gluing technique over the course of five sessions. As traditional kintsugi repairs can be time-consuming even for small chips, we recommend that beginners start with a piece that has only a minor flaw. Kintsugi, meaning “golden joinery,” is the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with Urushi (lacquer) mixed with powdered gold. Rather than concealing the damage, it embraces and transforms imperfections into distinctive and beautiful features. It’s a concept that has also come to symbolize healing and embracing imperfections.

Urushi, a lacquer, is a natural sap from the lacquer tree. Repaired pieces (with this traditional method) are still safe for food use. However, because gold is used in the repair, they should not be placed in a dishwasher or microwave. For this course, each student will need to bring an item they wish to repair. Pieces with a glossy, smooth surface work best. Matte-finished items require extra care and protection, which can be time-consuming, so we kindly ask that such pieces not be brought to class. Each student should bring (1) one item with a small chip, (2) one item that has broken into two or three pieces but has no missing parts. You may bring a few pieces to have help in deciding which piece to best begin with.

* Material Fee: Students must purchase a kit on their own to have ready for the first class. The kit we will teach with is from Chimahaga (basic kit). This kit is available from a variety of locations, including Amazon. The kit is approximately $169. Please note that the kintsugi kit contains only a small amount of gold powder, so it is suitable for repairing small chips (with no missing parts) or small vessels.

Safety Notice: Urushi (lacquer) can cause allergic reactions in some people. We provide gloves and instructions to help you handle it safely. Urushi is permanent—if it gets on clothes, it won’t wash out. Dress accordingly.

Allergy Notice: People with sensitive skin or allergies to mangos, cashews, or pistachios may be more likely to have a reaction.

Tips for safety: Wear long sleeves to protect your skin. Applying hand cream beforehand can help reduce irritation.

How is this longer course different from the other Kintsugi classes we offer? This is the traditional method used for kintsugi with urushi (lacquer) and real gold. The other kintsugi classes we offer use epoxy and faux gold, which offer a faster, more economical method for repair. The quicker version results in decorative repaired pieces that are no longer food-safe. After repairing your pieces in this 5-week course, your pieces will be food-safe because this course teaches the traditional method.