Reclaiming broken dishes and ceramics can turn chunks of broken pottery into pieces of art, and that gives me a reason (like I would need one?) to keep things that other people would just through away.
It’s hard for me to toss something in the trash just because it’s broken. Where some see the end of use for dishes and ceramic items that break, I see the possibilities in the broken pieces. Partly because I have sentimental ties to things in my home. After all if something is in my home it’s because I liked it and brought it home, or someone has given it to me. Both very good reasons to latch on to an object and grow sentimental. So it only makes sense to use the broken pieces and create something else for our home or for a gift.
In the photo above, this was an urn that held a silk spider plant. Although it was broken once, the pieces were big enough to glue back together. It sat on a speaker on top of an armoire in our den for years. I figured with the pattern plus the distance and the fact that the spider plant cascaded over the sides of the urn, no one would ever see that it was glued back together.
Then one day I walked into my house and there it sat in a bowl, just as you see in the photo. Bummer! right?
My son felt really bad, although he didn’t break it. He said it just fell off of the speaker. hummm…that’s some serious vibration to knock something off a flat surface. But that’s neither here or there, I wasn’t angry, he felt bad enough. I suppose because he was the only one here when it happened, he felt responsible.
The bowl of broken urn pieces sat on my kitchen table for a few days before ideas began to form in my head. But one idea in particular started to replay over and over again in my head.
I’ll confess that I’ve never had a passion for doing mosaics. I love to look at them and I think artists who create mosaics are very gifted. I’ve seen some amazing mosaic art work. But me, nope! I’ve done a few pieces, but nothing to write home about, certainly nothing on a grand scale. Truth is, I just don’t enjoy the process.
But this idea would not stop resurfacing in my thoughts, so I figured; why not? One thing I was not wanting to do, was mess with grouting the design.
So I didn’t!
This time I just set the pieces on a steel fleur de lis cross, which took the most time. It was like working a puzzle. I wanted a random look, but the pieces still needed to be strategically placed.
No wonder I don’t enjoy the process, I over think it to the max.
Once the pieces were where I wanted them I glued them onto the cross with E-6000. That is some stinky stuff! Then I sat it outside to dry for 24 hours.
I wanted to do one more application before calling this project done.
Add some rusty wire…
all done!
A shattered urn turned into a “non-grouted mosaic” cross.
Broken & Reclaimed
Perfect!
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ~Psalm 34:18
peace.love.rust
Rustique Art 
I’m with you. Why trash something just because it’s broken? I love the look of this cross. You have such talent. Not to mention, you said someone gave this piece of pottery to you and now, you still have something beautiful for your home to remind you of them!
So lovely!
it’s a win-win. Pat
Thanks a lot for this. I come across items in my home that could be used in this kind of art, and easily. I also come across a lot at yard sales. I was led to this link from an eBay FB group where one of the members said that she had some beautiful vintage pottery with just a crack or two. Someone suggested that she make art and jewelry with it using your process.
May I use your picture of broken pieces to illustrate a poem I will be putting up on my blog? I would link it back to this page. The poem is titled “Let All the Broken Pieces Sing” and what you did with the pieces ties in perfectly. :o)