by TASI Executive Director, Greg Busceme, Sr.
The Art Studio, Inc. has the distinct honor of participating in a program with United Way to benefit the Food Bank called Empty Bowls. Empty Bowls is a program that began in 1990 at a Michigan high school to draw attention to the plight of the hungry. Students made Clay bowls and offered a simple meal of soup and bread to the community for a donation. The donors are given a bowl as a reminder of the hungry in their community. In our program we are encouraging the people served by the United Way organizations to put their creativity to work decorating readymade bowls to be distributed to donors at the culmination of the program in February.
The United Way Board of Directors want to see 200 bowls available to the public by February and I have been diligently throwing bowls since I was informed of this project in August. Other potters who are producing bowls are Lamar University Ceramic Instructor Linnis Blanton and local potter John Alexander along with myself. Other clay people who want to contribute to this cause are welcome to donate your wares (either bisque fired or glazed) simply by dropping by and leaving your work, or coming to the Studio and produce them here. I do plan on a Throw-a-thon clay immersion later in the year for everyone to participate.
This is a tremendous opportunity for The Art Studio to connect with our community in need and to foster continued activity and participation for those served by the United Way Associates.
