Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery using gold paint. This 400-year-old technique highlights "scars" instead of trying to hide them.

For this photo essay series, I asked volunteers to use gold paint to highlight their physical/emotional scars and to tell their story. I hope this project brings to light the idea that scars from our past can actually make us stronger, more resilient and more beautiful.

Here are their stories, in their own words. This project is ongoing so please return for updates.