hungry bowls...

Last night the potters of Eureka Springs brought together over 400 bowls that they had made for their hungry bowls project. The restaurants of Eureka Springs made soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. For a $20.00 contribution, each of us got to choose a hand-crafted ceramic bowl and have dinner in a festive atmosphere, with live music and with all the proceeds going to our local food bank. Over $8,000 was raised in a single night.

My wife and I got bowls from a local potter who has been a friend for almost 40 years. Each of the bowls was interesting and beautiful, and it was a challenge to choose just the right bowl from such a large selection. Some couples chose matching bowls and others just chose the ones they liked.

I know that many communities no longer have studio potters at work. So very sad is that case. Here, we have an abundance of potters, and anyone familiar with the arts would not be surprised at their generosity. It seems that when a person is engaged in the practice of some art, whether it is in the kitchen, the wood shop, or the pottery studio, that person may likely have a greater level of compassion and generosity. There are reasons for that. When one's sense of self is derived from one's own creativity, rather than from what one may own and possess, that person is in a better position to express generosity. If the entirety of your self image is based on what you have, you are very poor indeed and can afford little to give. When a person is involved in the arts, he or she will have a greater sense of the interconnectedness of all things, and feel a deep sense of commitment that societal concerns like hunger and poverty be resolved. the hungry bowl event in Eureka Springs will feed many.

As I have said before, in making beautiful and useful things, the real product is in the character of the maker. I have to pay tribute to the potters of Eureka Springs. The 400 bowls were made by about 8 different potters.

Make, fix and create...