Loss and Recovery
Kintsugi found me by accident. Some time ago, someone I loved very dearly passed away rather suddenly. She was like a mother to me, and the grief that her death imparted has marked me forever. After her passing, my wife and I inherited some things she owned, including a blue glass pitcher. One day, I accidentally knocked it over and broke it.
In a panic, I decided not to throw it away. Even broken, it was irreplaceable. In contemplating on how to fix my mistake, I recalled seeing kintsugi a year or two prior. After searching for some epoxy and fake gold powder on the internet, I decided to just do my best - to repair this precious object.
The process of repair brought up so many emotions about my time with this lost person, fond memories, and times together that I didn’t want to let go of. In piecing together this pitcher, I turned an accident into meaning - meaning into a new respect for impermanence and the power we have to shape our relationship to grief.
It didn’t need to be perfect - it was renewed and that’s all that mattered.
The impact of a process
The process of practicing a loosely attached form of Kintsugi had left a strong and insatiable curiosity on what this artform represented, and how I could keep doing it…
After years learning Kintsugi and Japanese lacquerware and practicing on many pieces, I can now share this repair art with the world.
At TCC, I respect the time and care Kintsugi and lacquerwork require, and I give each piece that same attention.
Three Cracked Cups is a creation born of failure, tempered by patience, centering an unwavering dedication to preserving both what something was and what it can now become.
TCC is a home-based studio in the Aurora/Denver area in Colorado. I appreciate any trust you’ll offer in coming to me for your repair!
I am not an expert on all things kintsugi and lacquerware, but my mission is to ensure the source knowledge of kintsugi and Japanese art forms is respected, but not stolen - that the art of repair is something we share, and understand in its proper cultural context.
I look forward to working with you!
Colette (she/her)
