Empty Bowls and Studio Tours

Today I am recovering from such a wild week-end. There is always a lot going on around my town, and the holiday season is off to a busy start. The Empty Bowl project. Taking place the Sunday before Thanksgiving, this is a benefit for our local food bank. Local potters donate handmade bowls, and local restaurants donate soup. You buy a bowl and get it filled with soup, and yummy breads to go with it. It has always been held at a Pottery studio, but has gotten so large that they had to move it to a convention like center this year. We used to get there at 9 and wait 2 hours to get in at 11. We were usually always among the first 50 peeps in the door. However this year, there were people in line at 7 a.m. for an 11 a.m. opening. Yikes... We went to artist studios and came back a few hours later, and only waited about 20 minutes to get in. It was so crowded I didn't have an opportunity to take photos. A friend of mine was serving soup, but I never did even see her. The Empty Bowl project started as a grassroots movement and has pretty much become a national project in many cities.

Ah, the studio tours. I love them, they are so inspiring. You get to meet so many artists and see them working or at least see where they do their work. Also to make purchases. This too, has grown over the years, so choices have to be made. One can't possible see it all. We have our favorites we go to every year, and always add new ones. My head is still swimming with all the things we saw. I'm sorting and filing photos and business cards, for folks I may want to contact later. I have a few to show. For some reason I was struggling with the settings on my camera so did not get a lot of good photos. There are a lot of real nice studio/gallery spaces, but the ones that appeal to me the most are these first two...a collection of artists in old houses or industrial areas.





A wreath from favorite metal artist Barry George


A small fraction of Barry's collecton of "stuff"


One studio had this labyrinth in the back yard, it was fun. She makes floral mandalas from dried flowers she grows here.


One studio space had an Artist Trading Card workshop going on. We made a few, then traded with other peeps there. A lot of fun. Met some cool people.


More tomorrow. I must rest up then get something done around here and start prepping for Thanksgiving.