Of Mosaic, Mindfulness, and Magic

Celebrating the Wabi-Sabi

As a traveler, creative workshops are an excellent way to explore local art in a country, whether shaking a leg in a flamenco class in Seville or crafting Celtic silver jewelry in Dublin — it’s a beautiful way to bring a little bit of the country home.

While walking around Lisbon, I was fascinated by the mosaic sidewalks. I had to learn this ancient art form. I booked Eileen’s workshop at Lisbon Mosaic Studio. Besides learning an art form, I was on a spiritual journey.

The studio is tucked away in the most picturesque neighborhood of Lisbon. Eileen welcomed me into her beautiful studio — from Lennon to Andy Warhol to Frida Kahlo, her work is a dream. The apron, hammer, nippers, safety goggles, and other necessary items were neatly arranged on the table; pleasant sunlight streamed through the windows, and Coltrane played in the background — it was a magical setting.

The creative process started with smashing the old tiles with the hammer — so therapeutic! A whole array of exciting shapes and sizes began to emerge. I started to organize and arrange the scattered and broken pieces into a restored order — it was like harmony with self. In some time, the shards of smashed-up colorful loose tile pieces evolved into a new sardine!

The process required focus and patience with the snipping to make the pieces embrace perfectly. But mosaic doesn’t need perfection. It is about finding beauty and perfection in the imperfect – acknowledging the gaps, broken pieces, and accidental designs. Resonates with the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi – appreciating the beauty that hides beneath the surface that is broken and flawed.

The grouting process was restorative. In Japanese art, Kintsugi, the broken pieces of pottery are mended with gold in between, embracing the flaws and imperfections to create a more robust and beautiful piece of art. I carefully started to cover the loosely assembled fragments with a thick white, cement-like bonding agent, working into the cracks and crevices. Some cracks were big, some small. I tried to cover them up with the small chips, but most did not fit, so I let go.

I celebrated the cracks.

Finally, holding the new, vibrant sardines created from many random broken pieces was cathartic. The imperfections and flaws radiated their own Wabi-Sabi beauty. It was truly a mindful and magical journey — a workshop that would stay with me forever!

For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

— Wendell Berry