Artist Statement

My glass work is influenced by Kintsugi, the ancient Japanese art and philosophy in which broken pottery is repaired with precious gold or silver, highlighting the breaks and presenting them as valued and unique. To me, kintsugi is a celebration of the entirety of life and a visual reminder of the stunning beauty that is found when embracing the imperfect.

My own trauma is the reason I was drawn to explore creating kintsugi with fused glass. I used to believe that the better I was at avoiding trauma and hardship, the more successful person I would be.   After being raped at a young age I was left feeling damaged beyond repair. I turned to alcohol and self-destructive behavior in response to believing I was little more than the wreckage of a horrific tragedy. During my ongoing journey toward healing I learned about kintsugi and began to apply it to my life.  Choosing to see the beauty in the imperfect helped me to shift my perspective from sadness and grief to acceptance and self-love.  Kintsugi encourages me to look at my scars as an important and beautiful reminder of everything I have experienced in my life.  Kintsugi helps me realize that in order to be whole again sometimes we must become something new.  With a renewed sense of purpose and understanding, I broke free from the need to present myself as perfect in order to be accepted and I now embrace my scars, freeing me to love my authentic self and hopefully encouraging others to do the same. 

I create all my artwork in the spirit of love and gratitude for the chance to share kintsugi with others and in the hope that it will bring comfort and joy to others as it has to me.