'Empty Bowls' help feed the hungry
Students create clay bowls for Food Bank of Siouxland
By Nicole Paseka Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, March 02, 2007
The clay bowls rising from pottery wheels in Mr. Adamson's art class are more than art projects.
"The bowl I'm making -- someone could be eating out of it in a couple months. It's just a good feeling," said Mike Brown, 17, a senior at East High School.
Sioux City School District students are creating clay bowls to be given away at the third annual "Empty Bowls" event, sponsored by the Food Bank of Siouxland.
Each person who attends the "Empty Bowls" event will take home a clay bowl to remind them that hunger doesn't just exist in places like the ghettos of New York or in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina -- it exists in Siouxlanders' own back yards.
"Until you've lived it, you probably don't understand it," said Linda Scheid, executive director of the Food Bank of Siouxland.
"Empty Bowls" is the Food Bank of Siouxland's signature fundraising event. This year, the doors will open at 6 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. on April 17 at the Bluffs Area Family Center in Sergeant Bluff.
Dinner includes soup, bread and dessert. Tickets cost $20 for one person or $35 for two people. It is also possible to purchase a table. For more information or to buy tickets, contact Linda Scheid at 712-255-9741 or e-mail her at linda@siouxlandfoodbank.org.
"We have more student effort than ever" in creating the clay bowls this year, Scheid said.
When Scheid first spoke to Alice Marley, visual arts head teacher for the Sioux City Community School District, she was quick to point out that the bowls did not need to be perfect.
"I don't want people to feel like if it isn't perfect, it isn't worthy," Scheid said. "It's not a perfect world. If it were, we wouldn't have hungry people."
Most of the East High School students chose to glaze their bowls, rather than paint them, so they are dishwasher-safe.
"If you eat out of the painted ones, the paint would just come off," said Brigette Parmelee, 17, a senior at East High School.
Paul Adamson, the students' art instructor, said his students go out of their way to make the bowls special.
"I think for the most part, they're pretty amazed that someone is going to buy their piece," he said.
His students have participated in the "Empty Bowls" project for three years now.
"Some of them had done it last year and asked if we would be doing it again," Adamson said.
Adamson's students look forward to helping in the "Empty Bowls" effort.
"It's one way that students can use their artistic talent for the benefit of the community," Adamson said. "Sometimes they don't think along those lines, that they have that capacity."
Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.
"The bowl I'm making -- someone could be eating out of it in a couple months. It's just a good feeling," said Mike Brown, 17, a senior at East High School.
Sioux City School District students are creating clay bowls to be given away at the third annual "Empty Bowls" event, sponsored by the Food Bank of Siouxland.
Each person who attends the "Empty Bowls" event will take home a clay bowl to remind them that hunger doesn't just exist in places like the ghettos of New York or in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina -- it exists in Siouxlanders' own back yards.
"Until you've lived it, you probably don't understand it," said Linda Scheid, executive director of the Food Bank of Siouxland.
"Empty Bowls" is the Food Bank of Siouxland's signature fundraising event. This year, the doors will open at 6 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. on April 17 at the Bluffs Area Family Center in Sergeant Bluff.
Dinner includes soup, bread and dessert. Tickets cost $20 for one person or $35 for two people. It is also possible to purchase a table. For more information or to buy tickets, contact Linda Scheid at 712-255-9741 or e-mail her at linda@siouxlandfoodbank.org.
"We have more student effort than ever" in creating the clay bowls this year, Scheid said.
When Scheid first spoke to Alice Marley, visual arts head teacher for the Sioux City Community School District, she was quick to point out that the bowls did not need to be perfect.
"I don't want people to feel like if it isn't perfect, it isn't worthy," Scheid said. "It's not a perfect world. If it were, we wouldn't have hungry people."
Most of the East High School students chose to glaze their bowls, rather than paint them, so they are dishwasher-safe.
"If you eat out of the painted ones, the paint would just come off," said Brigette Parmelee, 17, a senior at East High School.
Paul Adamson, the students' art instructor, said his students go out of their way to make the bowls special.
"I think for the most part, they're pretty amazed that someone is going to buy their piece," he said.
His students have participated in the "Empty Bowls" project for three years now.
"Some of them had done it last year and asked if we would be doing it again," Adamson said.
Adamson's students look forward to helping in the "Empty Bowls" effort.
"It's one way that students can use their artistic talent for the benefit of the community," Adamson said. "Sometimes they don't think along those lines, that they have that capacity."
Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
