Rockford ceramic artist finds beauty in broken pottery at new Kortman Gallery exhibit
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A Rockford ceramic artist is taking inspiration from the Japanese art of kintsugi to find beauty in broken pottery.
Margret Hesler Hynes explores the practice — sometimes called golden repair — in her new exhibit “From Broken to Beauty” opening Friday at Kortman Gallery, 107 N. Main St., in downtown.
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Kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery by mending the cracks or breakage with a lacquer of gold, silver or platinum. The philosophy is to treat breaks as part of the history of an object, rather than something to hide.
“Mending the damage is not to hide or repair, but to accentuate and emphasize it,” Hessler Hynes said in a news release. “This encourages the viewer to accept, celebrate and see new beauty in the imperfections.”
The opening reception runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the gallery, which is upstairs above J.R. Kortman Center for Design. The exhibit will run through Sept. 28.
“There’s an organic quality to Margret’s theme-driven ceramic pieces,” said Doc Slafkosky, director of Kortman Gallery. “Many of her works have recognizable elements incorporated into her hands-on approach to her sculptural vessels.”
Hesler Hynes is a retired Rockford Public Schools art teacher who has been featured in previous shows at Kortman Gallery, including a solo exhibit in 2014 where she exhibited nature-inspired ceramic totems.
Images of her past works are featured in “Collection,” an art book by published by Slafkosky and Jerry Kortman of their personal collection of art and artifacts.
If you go | From Broken to Beauty
Opening reception: 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, July 19
Where: Kortman Gallery, 107 N. Main St., Rockford
Exhibit hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; through Sept. 28
Info: jrkortman.com or 815-968-0123
