Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: special events

So now that I’ve been to two “Empty Bowl Projects”… I thought a little, friendly comparison
might be nice?! Kind of the pro’s and con’s of each event, so to speak. What I noticed…
what I liked… casual observations…stuff like that. Nothing too critical… just for fun!
With a little insight from “The Nancy” who is currently taking classes at Terra Incognito.

THE BOWL SIZE
One of the first things that struck me about the event tonight at Terra Incognito
was that all of the bowls were practically the same size. Approximately a one-pound bowl
for you potters out there, a single-serving soup bowl for you non-potters!
You could tell that
there were some stipulations, a little guidance, a few parameters put on the bowls. Nancy
said that they even had a couple “group throws” to make a lot of the bowls where Dave Toan,
owner of Terra Incognito, donated the clay – already wedged in one-pound balls. So they just
had to throw the bowls – then someone else would finish it quickly, most with no trimming
Whereas at the Lillstreet event, you’ll find bowls of all different sizes. From soup bowls,
to pasta bowls to large serving bowls, and all the way down to miniature bowls! Fully
finished, fully decorated, all different size, all different finishes… including soda fired!

THE BOWL FINISHES
The bowls at Lillstreet are donated from all the studio artists, as well as students.
So they’ve all been “finished” by the artists before donating them. So they are all trimmed
and glazed by the artist. Apparently, the bowls at Terra were also made by students, but
not necessarily “finished” by them. A lot of the bowls were very simple. A lot were not trimmed.
Very basic bowls – yet still more than appropriate to raise money for a worthy cause.

THE PROCESS
I enjoyed how Terra Incognito had they’re event organized. As you entered, your “donated”
your $20 for a ticket. Once inside you “shopped” around for the perfect bowl. Then you
simple gave them back the ticket as you were leaving. easy in, easy out. No lines waiting
to play, no wrapping, no bagging. Just a bowl. In, out, done.

THE EXTRAS
This year, Lillstreet added a new section of Silent Auction items also donated for the cause.
So as you were exiting, you had a chance to place your bid on some of the “nicer” artworks
that had been donated. At Terra Incognito, there was one room of bowls that had been made
by students of two local high schools. Very sweet.

THE FOOD
With the First Slice Cafe being located right inside Lillstreet, they provide the soup & bread
every year for Empty Bowls. It’s nice to have the cafe that is helping disperse the donations
and help feed the hungry right there and involved in the event. In LaGrange, the local businesses
were involved and you traveled the town to repeatedly fill your bowl with food from over twenty
different restaurants. It was a lot more social, people milling about town all night long.
And a great way for other local businesses to get involved in the cause.
Did I mention the fudge?!… twice!!!

No matter how you look at it, both events are wonderful. A lot of bowls. A lot of fun.
A lot of money raised for local organizations fighting to combat hunger. The Empty Bowls
Project is a nationwide event, held at pottery locations all over the country. Just one small way
that local potters are pitching in, helping out and still throwing pots!!!

2 Comments

April 23rd, 2010

I like the idea of all sorts of potters donating bowls so that they don’t all look the same.

April 23rd, 2010

I definitely agree. There’s something very exciting about seeing over a thousand bowls of all different sizes, by all different artists, all over the place. Then searching through to find that “perfect” bowl for your donation “purchase.” Some bowls by kids, some by adult students, some by master potters! I know that I donated a wide range of sizes & styles for the Lillstreet event – from a couple miniature bowls all the way up to a couple serving bowls!!! And they ALL disappeared!

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