New York Asian Arts Festival: Suminagashi, Modern Kintsugi & Interpretive Dreams

SUMINAGASHI [ PAPER MARBLING]
Making marbled paper using ink, water, breath, and paper can connect us to the nature of life, art, and creative practice. In this Gather experience, explore the nature of Suminagashi, the meditative paper marbling process. You’ll learn the history of the process, learn how this marbling style connects to nature and play, be guided through the materials and steps, and meditate on the shape and form of ink as you make marbled paper design. Discover the mesmerizing, mindful creative practice of Suminagashi and relax into the flow.

Suminagashi Gather Artist: Kelly Odette Laughlin

Kelly Odette Laughlin made her first book when she was seven. She titled it Animals of the World and crafted it from legal paper, staples, markers, glue, and collaged animals. In high school, she discovered the rich history to the art of books and learned her first bookbinding stitch. From there, she studied Printmaking and Book Arts in college. And she went on to become a teaching artist, writer, bookbinder, curious thinker, and founder of Odette Press.

MODERN KINTSUGI
The art of Kintsugi embodies new beauty made through imperfections. It’s an artistry of mending broken pieces, symbolically representing how brokenness in our lives can transform to places of beauty and power. Instead of hiding chipped and broken parts,when imperfections are pronounced with the gold, symbolizing the light, you behold something that’s more beautiful. It’s an art form of mending to make new. In this Gather, we’ll have an open time to share personal discovery with each other as we apply Kintsugi to a piece we’ve each brought with us. We’ll share a time of personal reflection and beholding through working with our hands.

Please do not break things to bring. Instead, look for cracked, chipped, and broken ceramics you already have. No glass, please.

Modern Kintsugi Gather Facilitator: Sarah Tintle

Sarah Winston Tintle is a modern Kintsugi facilitator. In this role, Sarah focuses on creating beauty from brokenness, in an effort to make the world a more peaceful place, one creation at a time. She holds a BS from Vanderbilt University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Duke University. Sarah has worked as a pediatric physical therapist for the past 18 years, and this work has framed how she views her role as an artist. Sarah’s desire is for all people (children and adults!) to be able to live their lives to their fullest potential. She sees play as an essential component to learning, not only with pediatric clients, but with adult learners as well. She uses this lens to invite class participants to engage in a playful way, in order to more deeply understand how beauty is made

INTERPRETIVE DREAMS
However dreams come to us—whether it’s divine communication or merely neurons firing for subconscious thought—there are moments in time when dreams are irrefutably important. In this Gather, we’ll explore the art of dream interpretation. We’ll process through writing and visuals, paying attention to the words, symbols, and prominent emotions of a specific dream. We’ll get comfortable engaging with our dreams, entering a multi-layered conversation with them to record and understand what they may be communicating.

Interpretive Dreams Gather Artist: Bianca Valencia Crisuolo

Bianca Valencia Criscuolo is a Connecticut born Contemporary Artist specializing in fine art and illustration. Her illustration work leans towards surrealism and abstract expressionism with a highly concentrated focus on the exploration of dreams, theology, and the ontology of the self. She has been doing dream interpretation through her illustrative works for over a decade and has explored several projects that intersect on the Anthropology of art, dialogue, and dreams

This event is part of the New York Asian Arts Festival 2025:

The New York Asian Arts Festival (NYAAF) is dedicated to amplifying AAPI artistic voices, fostering community through creative connection, and creating accessible pathways into the arts.

About New York Asian Arts Festival: This May, organizers are thrilled to launch the first-ever New York Asian Arts Festival: a citywide celebration spotlighting underrepresented Asian American artistry and reimagining of how you engage with culture through art. From curated exhibitions of talented Asian artists to hands-on activations in partnership with art studios across the city, NYAAF invites you to create + connect with the community. Follow along and sign up for updates: nyasianartsfestival.com

Co-hosted by @itmeanslight x @discoverakin