Celebrating the imperfect, the time-worn, and the re-invented resonates deeply with me, probably because I am a combination of all of those things. That’s why the Japanese arts of Boro and Kintsugi are so appealing. Boro, a Japanese word meaning “tattered rags,” describes lovingly patched and repaired cotton bedding and clothing used much longer than the normal expected life cycle.
Boro is enjoying a revival among fiber artists who treasure its indigo blue color and melange of textures and subtle patterns. In fact, the Fiber Artists of San Antonio are offering a Boro workshop taught by Mary Ruth Smith in July.
![](https://furugistarjapan.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/colourful-futon-e1298440467303.jpg?w=224&h=300)
A Japanese houshold Boro textile
Linked to Boro by concept is Kintsugi, meaning “mended with gold.” It refers particularly to the Japanese method for repairing broken ceramics with a special lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum.
![The Kintsugi process usually results in something more beautiful than the original.](https://earthshards.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/kint-copy.jpg)
The Kintsugi process usually results in something more beautiful than the original.
Both Boro and Kintsugi are interwoven with the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which means “to find beauty in broken things or old things. ” See why I like this stuff so much?
So today at the Studio, I was putting away materials from our Citrasolve and altered paper collage workshop, and I started thinking about torn paper scraps (Boro) mended with gold (Kintsugi). I printed out the word “kintsugi” and began arranging Boro-like tatters of paper (they would probably have been dumped in the trash) onto 8×10″ pieces of archival mat board.
Then, inspired by the gold veins of Kintsugi, I “mended” the spaces between the scraps with gold leaf. It was amazing how fast time flew – I created five of these collages in about four hours. They almost pieced themselves together.
Here are the five collages – #3 is my favorite because it looks most “Boro-like.” These pieces are destined for the Beacon Hill Art Walk this Sunday, but when I come home from Boston, I’m going to continue to explore the idea of gold-mended tatters and the beauty of imperfection and re-invention.
![Mended with Gold #1 Lyn Belisle 2016](https://earthshards.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/kint1s-791x1024.jpg)
Mended with Gold #1
Lyn Belisle 2016
![Mended with Gold #2 Lyn Belisle 2016](https://earthshards.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/kint2s.jpg)
Mended with Gold #2
Lyn Belisle 2016
![Mended with Gold #3 Lyn Belisle 2016](https://earthshards.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/kint3s.jpg)
Mended with Gold #3
Lyn Belisle 2016
![Mended with Gold #4 Lyn Belisle 2016](https://earthshards.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/kint4s.jpg)
Mended with Gold #4
Lyn Belisle 2016
![Mended with Gold #5 Lyn Belisle 2016](https://earthshards.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/kint5s-777x1024.jpg)
Mended with Gold #5
Lyn Belisle 2016
WOW !! wonderful……
Thanks, Harold! How about a Kintsugi poetry series :)?
Each step you take is more beautiful and more soulful. Amazing work!!!!
Love you, cs, and thanks❤️