2026 Manila Pen Show Hira Maki-e Workshop
Dates: 28th-29th March 2026
Location: Fairmont Makati
Sign up here: Beginner Hira Maki-e Workshop
Sessions:
Saturday 28th March 6:30-8:30pm
Sunday 29th March 1:00-3:00pm
Length of Workshop: 2 hours
Venue: Workshop Room 1 - Sampiro, Fairmont Makati
About the Workshop:
Urushi lacquer is a natural material that holds deep cultural significance in East Asian societies. Originally used as a natural lacquer to protect wooden substrates from the environment, Urushi has evolved from a purely technical craft into an intricate artform with many different techniques that practitioners use to demonstrate an art in harmony with the natural world. In this workshop, we will introduce the participants to Maki-e, a form of Urushi craft that involves the combination of natural Urushi and metal powder to create your own work of art.
You will learn about the core concepts of Maki-e and will experience applying a simple design on a plate with urushi using a fine brush. Guests can create their own simple design, or choose from our selection of design templates.
You will get to choose from an assortment of colored powder to customize your design and, by the end of the workshop, will take your maki-e creations home together with a curated Maki-e kit to continue future projects of your own!
We welcome all participants from all ages and backgrounds, and no prior experience with art is needed!
Disclaimer:
We will be using genuine urushi lacquer in this workshop. While cured urushi is completely safe, uncured urushi can cause skin allergies. Gloves will be provided at the workshop and the risk of a rash is low with proper handling of urushi. By signing up to this workshop you acknowledge this risk that may occur from exposure to urushi lacquer.
About the Instructor:
Sophia is an urushi and maki-e artist based in Hong Kong. She began to practice the art of urushi in 2022 on a self guided basis before taking formal maki-e lessons at Maki-e School Ginza under Matsuda Shokan in Tokyo in 2024.