The Art of Wabi Sabi | by Marina May Raike

I’ve recently discovered a new art form: Wabi Sabi!

I was walking over to my friend, Carell Farmer’s place when I saw a plum-sized pebble that had broken into three parts. I was going to grab it on the way home, but something said, “No, take it now!’ As soon as I saw it, I imagined gluing it back together and adding my gold titanium particles to the bond so that it looks like real gold.

When I got to Carell’s, I showed her the rock and described my plan. She immediately told me about the art of Wabi Sabi. According to Wikipedia, it is [...] a [traditional Japanese] world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete". Mary Pfaff showed up, and she also mentioned Wabi Sabi. She envisioned the same as I; gold along the cracks where the repair is done. “It’s like you’ve read my mind.”, I told her.

That night, I even dreamt about Wabi Sabi. In this dream, it was said to have the ability to repair past mistakes, if the broken item is somehow connected to the regrettable action.

Wabi Sabi has now become a fun and fascinating “break” from my regular creative process.

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