Excited Huntingtonians gathered at Pullman Square Friday April, 21, 2023 to attend Empty Bowls, an annual event held by Marshall University’s ceramics department that benefits Facing Hunger Food Bank. This year marks 20 years of Empty Bowls and it continues to be a town favorite.
The sun from the beautiful spring day gleamed warmly over the various ceramic bowls as community members crowded around tables selecting their favorites from this year’s creations. The positive energy from the event was palpable as attendees showed each other their finds and debated over which bowls would be added to their collections. The fact that their purchases would benefit a good cause made the deal that much sweeter.
Frederic Bartolovic, Professor of Art Ceramics Area Coordinator at Marshall University, says he has been involved with Empty Bowls since 2011 and coordinates the event and organizes the students and the lead up events with community partners. He says that 90% of the bowls are made by students, many of whom have never thrown anything on a pottery wheel in their lives. The students learn the skills needed throughout the course of the semester to bring their creations to life for the event. Additionally, the students are required to volunteer at Facing Hunger Food Bank to get a better understanding of what it is involved in their operations in the fight against food insecurity. Each bowl produces 180 meals and the students get to see the possibilities their work can have for people in need. Bartolivic said, “Well, I think that’s the amazing thing about this event is that it shows young artists who are studying art, how their art can make a difference in the community in which they live and I think for a lot of young artists, that can be a very abstract notion and I think that this event gives them a real solid foundation for understanding that.”
You can see the pride in the faces of the students and community volunteers as they wrap up the bowls on their way to their new homes and answer questions from the event attendees. Tiarra Jackson, a graphic design student at Marshall, says that she really enjoys applying her digital background to ceramics and talks excitedly about the process of creating transfers digitally to then be cast onto the ceramics for the event. She says using her talents to make a difference in the community fuels her creativity and helps give her a confidence boost. Jackson said, “It actually means a lot to me, art has been my biggest form of expression and therapy, and I think it’s great that the community can take a part in that too, and maybe even experience that it means a lot to all these artists.”
Empty Bowls sees a lot of the same faces year after year. Many of the attendees talk about their growing collections of bowls from the event from years of participating. Community member Karhlee Zambos has been a long time supporter of Empty Bowls and said that she made it a priority to attend one more time before moving to Los Angeles, California in just a few days. She said, “So I love empty bowls because one, bowls are amazing, and I love being able to purchase something that someone in the community has handmade. I think that’s a really cool connection to have. And then also, I always see people that I know here and I love that aspect. It feels very community driven.”
Empty Bowls serves a prime example of how the intersection of art and community based organizing can positively impact the people surrounding it. Whether you are an instructor, student, volunteer, or customer your participation works to create a better place for everyone. Here’s to 20 more years of Empty Bowls.
