10. Faux Kintsugi Golden Broken Pottery
Kintsugi is the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with a lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. This philosophy treats breakage and repair as part of the object’s history, rather than something to disguise. You can recreate this stunning visual art form using modern materials like epoxy adhesive and metallic gold mica powder on thrifted ceramic plates, bowls, or vases.
To safely break your ceramic piece (if it isn’t already broken), wrap it securely in a thick towel and gently tap it with a hammer to create clean fractures. Collect all the broken shards. On a disposable surface, mix a two-part clear epoxy glue with a generous pinch of bright gold mica powder or gold leaf dust until thoroughly combined. Using a wooden toothpick, apply the golden epoxy along the broken edges of one piece and press it tightly against its matching counterpart for a minute until set. Allow tiny beads of gold epoxy to squeeze out of the seams intentionally. Continue reassembling the vessel piece by piece. The resulting gold-veined ceramic piece serves as a breathtaking centerpiece full of meaning and texture.