Contemporary Kintsugi and Ceramics Restoration
Professional restoration techniques for repairing and reimagining broken ceramics
We are excited to welcome internationally acclaimed artist and specialist ceramics conservator Penny Byrne back to Slow Clay Centre for this 6 week Kintsugi and ceramics restoration course.
Drawing on more than 30 years of professional experience in ceramics conservation and restoration, Penny will teach a range of practical techniques used by professional conservators to repair damaged ceramic objects.
Participants will first develop skills on test pieces before applying techniques to their own broken ceramic objects.
The course will introduce Penny’s own contemporary approach to Kintsugi* inspired restoration. Rather than traditional Japanese urushi lacquer methods, Penny uses modern materials and professional restoration techniques to create strong, visually striking repairs that embrace the history and character of a broken object.
This is a rare opportunity to gain insight into the specialised field of ceramics conservation and restoration from a leading practitioner. The course is suitable for ceramic artists, students, makers, collectors and anyone interested in learning contemporary approaches to repairing and restoring ceramics.
6 weekly sessions
Tuesdays 21 July – 25 August 2026, 6.30 – 8.30 pm
$550 Earlybird/Concession ($575 Normal) 50% deposit to book, balance due 3 weeks before start date.
There will be a materials cost surcharge of $30-$50 (depending on cost) payable to Penny in the first class.
See Penny’s work here
Above image: “Veins of Gold” (2017) Photo: Mathew Stanton
*Kintsugi (金継ぎ, きんつぎ, “golden joinery”), also known as Kintsukuroi (金繕い, きんつくろい, “golden repair”), is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, a method similar to the maki-e technique. As a philosophy, it treats breakage and repair as part of the history of an object, rather than something to disguise. (Wikipedia)