Potters prepare for Empty Bowls fundraiser

Intermountain Catholic

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At Red Kiln pottery studio in Salt Lake City, local potters throw bowls for the upcoming Empty Bowls fundraiser to benefit Saint Vincent de Paul dining hall. SEE VIDEO ONLINE AT WWW.ICATHOLIC.ORG. IC photo/Marie Mischel

SALT LAKE CITY — To help feed the hungry, local potters have created hundreds of clay bowls of all colors, which will be for sale at the annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Saint Vincent de Paul Dining Hall in Salt Lake City.

The dining hall, run by Catholic Community Services, served 393,735 meals to the needy and homeless last year.

Clay Arts Utah, a local nonprofit, has organized Empty Bowls Utah for about 10 years. This year "we hope to raise about $10,000 for St. Vincent de Paul Dining Hall," said Cynthia Xaiz Cool. "As members of Clay Arts Utah ... we feel that it’s important, as potters, to be able to give something back to our community, and this is an excellent way to do that."

The potters donate the bowls, which are sold for $15 each; those attending the event are given a lunch of soup and bread. Live music also is part of the event.

Many of the bowls that will be for sale at the event were created during two bowl-a-thons in March, one at Red Kiln Pottery Studio and Gallery, the other at Adjusting Sails Dirtworks. Both of these pottery studios are in Salt Lake City.

Most of the bowls are "thrown," or created, by using a potter’s wheel.

"Throwing pots is what I do best, so if I can do that for a good cause, it’s a great idea," said Aaron Ashcraft, one of the owners of Red Kiln. "[Empty Bowls] allows Red Kiln studio and myself, mainly, to do something fun ... and as a donation to feed the homeless."

"It’s a fun way to contribute to the community," agreed Randi Lile, who participated in the March 16 bowl-a-thon at Red Kiln, during which about 200 bowls were thrown.

Lile co-chaired Empty Bowls Utah for two years, and has been involved with the event for about six years, she said, adding that she enjoys experimenting with the bowls she makes. "People know my work and recognize my work to look a certain way, so going to this event I can play around with different shapes and colors," she said.

Chuck Parsons, another potter, said he likes the bowl-a-thons because they’re collaborative: one person may throw a pot, another may trim it and yet a third glaze it. "The bowl-a-thons are kind of interesting because it’s rare that you get any kind of collaborative thing," he said, adding that about five years ago he started making rice bowls for the fundraiser. "I wasn’t sure that people would like those, but it turned out that those were very, very popular."

Parsons became involved with Empty Bowls Utah when the event was held at the Sugar House Garden Center, and said he likes the fact that it has now moved to Saint Vincent de Paul Dining Hall, because it feels more connected to those who benefit from the fundraiser.

WHAT: Empty Bowls fundraiser to benefit CCS

WHEN: Saturday, May 4

TIME: Noon - 4 p.m.

WHERE: Saint Vincent de Paul Dining Hall, 437 West 200 South, Salt Lake City

COST: Free entry; bowls cost $15 each