Kris Caringer-Quimby
Emptiness for some is “a state of containing nothing.” For others it is a lack of meaning or purpose. Becoming a Happy Potter a year ago was my mindful attempt to fill a small empty space with something useful, meaningful, and satisfying. I found hand-building clay humbling and gratifying but realized this newfound craft was guiding me towards something more. The artistry and creativity of my fellow Happy Potters was inspiring but it was their overwhelming passion to give back to the community through Empty Bowls that was motivating.
I participated in Empty Bowls for the first time this year and wanted to know more about how it was transformed to what it is today. I found the 35-year evolution intriguing, but it is the origin of Empty Bowls that I found uplifting. In 1990, a small-town Michigan high-school art teacher and his students combined their creative drive for building handcrafted bowls with their overwhelming desire to fight hunger within their community. It all started with a fundraising luncheon where they laid the groundwork and established the basic principles for what would come to be known as Empty Bowls.
The Happy Potters of Robson Ranch have supported this initiative since 2019 by partnering with Empty Bowls of Denton to fight hunger in our own community. Each year the Happy Potters contribute 150 hand-crafted bowls to this annual October event. Guests purchase a handcrafted bowl of their choice from a wide selection of uniquely crafted bowls donated by local potters, pottery groups and schools. The bowls are filled with soup and bread provided as a meal donated by local restaurants. The message established in 1990 is unwavering: it’s the Empty Bowl taken home by each guest that becomes the symbol for fighting hunger and to serve as an ongoing reminder of the Empty Bowls in our community.
The 150 handcrafted bowls donated by the Happy Potters have a captivating impact on our community with 100% of the proceeds going to Our Daily Bread and the Denton Community Food Bank. This ongoing contribution each year brings in $5,250, which allows the Food Bank to purchase at least $31,500 in groceries. The time, materials, and the dedication invested by each Happy Potter to make these handcrafted bowls is priceless.
For me, an Empty Bowl has taken on new meaning and the word emptiness no longer points to a bowl containing nothing. By embracing the “emptyness” of others, it is a bowl just waiting to be filled.
Please visit our display window in the Creative Arts and Technology Center (CATC) building where you can purchase a wide variety of uniquely handcrafted items created by the Happy Potters.