STUDIO MISTA

Our vessels

Artwork on exhibition at the Rochester Art Center from May 30 to August 9, 2026.

Our Vessels is a series of Kintsugi-inspired watercolor vessels created after deep reflection on self-love and self-judgment through comparison. Each vessel is an individual. All are made of the same material, and all have flaws, yet none share the same color, shape, or story. So why compare them?

In the Japanese art of Kintsugi, broken pottery is repaired with precious metal, embracing the cracks as part of the object’s story rather than concealing them. I realized that dwelling on my flaws only deepened my hurt and dysfunction. When I began accepting and loving myself for who I am, the parts of me that once felt broken slowly became whole.

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The story behind this project

In 2025, I was going through a difficult period in my life. After years invested in a PhD education, working hard, and striving for excellence, I found myself constantly applying for jobs and rarely getting interviews.

Looking at the lives and careers of others, I felt behind and unsuccessful. My mind became trapped in comparison and self-criticism, replaying every flaw, mistake, and reason why I believed I was “failing.”

Then one day, I read a sentence that shook me deeply:
“YOU CAN’T HATE YOURSELF INTO SOMEONE YOU LOVE.”

For the first time, I realized how harshly I had been treating myself. I had spent years believing that self-worth had to be earned through achievement, when what I truly needed was compassion.

That realization reminded me of Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. In a reflective state, I began seeing myself as a vessel with cracks and flaws. But instead of judging my mistakes and imperfections, I started accepting how they have shaped me into who I am today.

I began acting like my own best friend, repairing my broken parts with self-love until I realized I was never truly broken.

I was already enough.

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