Empty Bowls - Scranton, PA

This is something that I had to share with all of you....

A couple of days ago I got an email newsletter from my friend, Jordan Taylor. He shared news of a new show of sculptural work which I am excited about. He also announced of a local Empty Bowls project that is being held in Scranton, PA on May 4. This particular Empty Bowls fundraiser is one that Jordan is donating 1000 bowls to. I'm blown away yet not surprised by his incredible generosity.

If you happen to live in north east Pennsylvania, here is a bit of information about the event (from Jordan's newsletter):


Meals on Wheels will host an “Empty Bowls dinner May 4, 2008 1-3pm at Marywood University, Nazareth Hall, Multi Purpose Room (formerly known as the Crystal Room).

A $10 donation will purchase a bowl of soup, and you get to keep the bowl. The bowls, consistent with Taylor's work to date, are wood fired, made largely from materials gathered and processed locally, and are microwave-dishwasher-oven safe, lead free, and non toxic. Each bowl is individually decorated by a different Scranton area art student.

Contact MOW Scranton director Linda Steir 570-346-2421 [email protected] for inquiries.

Empty Bowls is an international movement that began in the early 1990's and has since raised millions of dollars in donations to help hungry people. It was founded by several school teachers in Michigan whose students asked for help in raising money to help the local hungry. As a group they decided on a fundraiser dinner of simple soup and bread, served on dishes made by the students in their art class. www.emptybowls.net

Taylor had participated in several “Empty Bowls events by donating and by dining before becoming interested in staging an event in Scranton. In 2006 Taylor was a visiting artist at a “Craft and Social Conscience session, run by one of the founders of the Empty Bowls Movement, at the Penland School of Crafts, NC. Taylor's experience at that session inspired him to reach out to the MOW chapter in Scranton.

I'm truly inspired. But I have to remind myself that it's important to act on the inspiration and put it into action. This week I plan on calling my friend, Joanna Kramer, who organizes Chicago's Empty Bowl project to see how I can be more involved this year. Our event isn't until December, but it seems like the perfect time to start making bowls!

I'm curious to hear about other Empty Bowls fundraisers out there. Have you organized or participated in one? What was your experience? I love that Jordan made the bowls but students decorated the pieces. Have you done an interesting twist on Empty Bowls? Are you in Chicago and interested in joining us?
Just leave me a comment below!
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