The Make-a-Bowl events for the Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Cook County Food Shelf are this month and the public is invited to come make a bowl or two at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Pictured above are the hands of Martha Cutkomp making a bowl in the studio last year. Martha is 93 and is a well-known Minnesota potter. Hovland ceramic artist Lee Ross is her daughter. Call the Art Colony to sign up at (218) 387-2737.
The Empty Bowls dinner and silent auction, one of the most important fundraisers for the Cook County Food Shelf, will be held at the First Congregational Church on Thursday, Nov. 11, and people in the community are invited to come to the ceramics studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony this month to make handmade bowls for it.
Make-a-Bowl for Empty Bowls is always a lot of fun, and this year the Art Colony is making it easier than ever to participate by asking the public to sign up in advance before they come. That way, everyone is guaranteed to have a wheel and plenty of room in which to work, said Amy Demmer, Art Colony director.
The Make-a-Bowl sessions will be for one hour each and people will make at least two bowls in that time, including one wheel-thrown bowl and one handbuilt bowl. Instructors will be there, too, to help. A $5 donation is requested to help cover the costs.
The dates and times for the open studio sessions are Tuesday, Oct. 12, 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
TheArt Colony will also hold a Painta Bowl event where finished, glazed bowls will be available for people to paint with wild colors and designs. ThePaint-a- Bowl event will be at the Art Colony starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30.
Thisis the sixth year that Empty Bowls has been held as a fundraiser for the Food Shelf, said Steve Deschene, board chair of the Food Shelf. “It is one of the major fundraisers of the year for the Food Shelf,” he said.
Last year, Empty Bowls raised more than $3,300.
This year, the need is even greater — more and more people are using the Food Shelf, he said. “We are at an all-time high. Last month, we topped 100 (visits),” Deschene said “We’ve never done that before. There are a lot of families coming in.”
Cook County’s Food Shelf is not the only food shelf in northeast Minnesota seeing increasing numbers. “Everybody’s usage seems to be up,” Deschene said. “And everybody’s scrambling for money.”
The Food Shelf is open every Monday of the month from 3-5 p.m. and the first Wednesday of the month from 5-7 p.m. in the First Congregational Church’s basement. Anybody can come in once a month for a box of food that will include three meals for three days for individuals and/or families.
There are no income guidelines. “Everyone is welcome,” he said. The money raised by Empty Bowls is used to purchase food for the facility, primarily from the Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank in Duluth.
Cash vouchers to buy things like milk and fresh produce are also included, as well as special items donated by community members.
One woman knit a number of kids’ hats and gloves that were available for the taking, he said, and gardeners, including people from the community gardens, have donated fresh produce this summer. The Empty Bowls fundraiser is a great opportunity to help out your neighbors, Deschene said.
To make a bowl for this event, call the Art Colony at 387-2737 and sign up to make your bowl. Bring a friend and get muddy together!
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