Front row left to right: Carol Blank, Kathy Zickefoose and Jo Zorn; second row: Madeleine Cardiel, Lynda Rudloff, Jon Lind, Marge Hockemeier, Pat Earnest and Lilly Ransdell; photo by Peggy Kimes
Kathy Zickefoose
Empty Bowls? We’ve heard about it, but what is it?
About 24 years ago, high school students in Michigan were looking for a way to raise money for a food drive. Their art teacher suggested making ceramic bowls as a class project. At the event guests were served soup and bread. They would then be invited to choose a bowl to take home as a reminder that we still have hungry people all over the world.
Today this Empty Bowl Event takes place all around our country. For the past six years the Quail Creek Ceramics Club has been creating and providing bowls to the Valley Assistance Services along with other Green Valley clubs and schools. In addition to the handcrafted bowls, local chefs and their assistants volunteer their time preparing the soup, bread and desserts. This year’s event is to be held March 22 at the Valley Presbyterian Church. To learn more about this event, please visit www.valleyassistanceservices.org.
Our club members look forward to this time of year. We enjoy working as a team and producing something that our community benefits from. The club donates all the supplies to make the bowls along with the paints and glazes. Then magic happens! The members donate their time and talents turning kiln fired bowls into one-of-a-kind, beautiful pieces of art. Each year we try to create more than the previous year. This year we will contribute 80 bowls to this wonderful event. Next year, 100? The Quail Creek Ceramics Club also donates to various other charities in Quail Creek and Green Valley.
The Quail Creek Ceramics Club is open to all residents. At this time our studio is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. We also offer scheduled classes on additional days. Come by the Ceramics Studio and see the Greenware; you will get all kinds of ideas. Visit with new friends or bring an old friend while you paint. Monitors are there to help you every step of the way. Beginner tools and supplies, including a practice piece, a wide variety of glazes, underglazes and paints are provided at no additional cost. If you choose a specialty glaze we can order it for you at our cost. You can use your own brushes and cleaning tools or you can purchase a complete kit for $20.00 at our studio. If you are interested in joining, our annual membership dues are $25.00.
Stop by the studio to see our bowls in our display window. We hope to see you soon.