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Mitsuro Hikime Wax Sculpting Workshop
Saturday 30th May 2026
Venue
Mary Ward Centre,
275-285 High St,
London, E15 2TF
United Kingdom
With artists Kumiko Kihara, and Elsa Tierney.
Includes a copy of the publication: Mitsuro Hikime
Step into the tactile, and meditative world of traditional Japanese wax sculpting in this immersive one-day workshop. Led by artists Kumiko Kihara, and Elsa Tierney, this session introduces you to mitsuro hikime, a distinctive technique known for its organic forms, and finely striated textures. It is particularly suited to creating intricate, delicate, and one-of-a-kind designs for jewellery, and sculpture, intended for lost wax casting in precious metals.
Whether you are a jeweller, an artist, experienced, or a complete beginner, this workshop offers a rare opportunity to learn a unique, material-led process that combines Japanese craft, and experimental approaches to jewellery design.
Arrival is from 9:30 am, allowing time to settle in, meet the group, and prepare your workspace. The class begins at 10:00 am.
The morning session opens with an introduction to mitsuro hikime, alongside a presentation of wax samples, and cast works by your tutors. You will be guided through the tools, safety considerations, and working methods before moving into a practical making demonstration.
Participants will learn how to create their own mitsuro wax from scratch, including measuring ingredients, melting the components, and mixing and preparing the wax for use. Once ready, the focus shifts to exploring form. You will experiment with stretching, and pulling the wax to create the characteristic hikime textures, while developing techniques for building structures, and shaping organic forms. The remainder of the morning is dedicated to experimentation, and becoming familiar with the unique sculptural qualities of the material. The morning session concludes at 1:00 pm.
A buffet lunch will be provided from 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm, including bread, charcuterie, and cheeses. Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary requirements, or allergies.
The afternoon session resumes at 1:45 pm, with continued exploration of form, and texture. You will develop your experiments into a resolved wax design ready for casting. The day concludes with a demonstration of spruing for those who wish to learn this important stage in preparing wax models for casting.
Please note that casting is not included in the class, however advice, and recommendations for casters will be offered by your tutors.
To make the most of the workshop, please bring a sketchbook containing ideas, visual references, or initial concepts, along with any aims you may have for the day. These do not need to be fully developed designs, but simply starting points for exploration.
This workshop offers a full day of hands-on learning, and creative enquiry, centred around the expressive possibilities of mitsuro wax in a supportive, and engaging environment.