Filling Empty Bowls

Kathleen Thompson

Members of the SaddleBrooke Pottery Club have been hard at work over the past few months building, firing, and glazing an amazing assortment of beautiful ceramic bowls. About four years ago, SBPC member, Stan Pomeranz, suggested that the club contribute to the local Empty Bowls program.

Empty Bowls is an international project founded in the early 1990s to fight hunger and was implemented by artists and art organizations on a community level. The empty bowl represents hunger all around. Clay artists around the world create beautiful, functional, and artistic bowls. On soup day at an Empty Bowls event, attendees pay a nominal fee, choose a gorgeous bowl from the hundreds on display, and are served soup, bread, and dessert by generous local restaurants. In Tucson, all proceeds from the event are donated to community food banks.

Contributions by SBPC members have grown over the last four years, with this year’s result being the biggest and best ever. It’s been an effort shared by all club members. Members have worked hard making hand-built and wheel-thrown bowls, other members have glazed and decorated the bowls using a variety of glazes and special techniques, and still others have worked to organize the overall project. They are excited to be able to contribute to this worthwhile program – raising money to feed the hungry, increasing awareness of hunger in our community, and bringing a little more beauty to the world.

This year’s Tucson Empty Bowls event will be held March 7th, at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center at 1288 W. River Rd., from 11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.