The Art of

Japanese Kintsugi

in my work

Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. But more than just a technique, it’s a philosophy, one that honors the history of an object, embracing its cracks and imperfections rather than hiding them. The gold-filled seams aren’t meant to disguise the damage; they are meant to celebrate it, highlighting the beauty in resilience and transformation.

This philosophy has deeply shaped how I approach my own craft. While I work with wood rather than ceramic, I see the same potential in its natural flaws, its cracks, knots, and scars. Instead of cutting around these marks or discarding pieces deemed “imperfect,” I choose to work with them. I let them speak. Sometimes I fill cracks with natural resins or contrast them with inlays. Other times, I leave them visible as part of the piece’s soul.

Each mark in the wood tells a story: of wind, weather, time, pressure, and change. Just like kintsugi, my work honors these experiences. I believe that what we often call "imperfections" are what make something truly unique. They hold memory. They hold character. And when treated with care and intention, they can become the most beautiful part of the piece.

In this way, kintsugi lives on in my woodworking. Through the act of slowing down, noticing, and lovingly bringing out the beauty of what once seemed broken.