'Empty Bowls' fundraiser at OCC today

The ceramics studio at Oakton Community College saw much of its inventory get boxed up on Friday, as students packed nearly 1,000 bowls in preparation for today's charity event.

They ranged from stoneware to porcelain and are in a variety of colors and designs, but their destination was same: down the hall to the college's cafeteria, site of the sixth annual "Empty Bowls at Oakton," which raises money for local food pantries.

The bowl sale is 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, Dec. 5, at Oakton's Des Plaines campus, located at 1600 E. Golf Road.

For a $12 donation, patrons select a handcrafted bowl to keep before receiving a simple meal of soup and bread, as a reminder that "someone's bowl is always empty."

Entertainment will be provided by Patchouli, an acoustic duo whose songs about healing and compassion are designed to inspire the human spirit.

The bowls are "one-of-a-kind, and most are food safe," says Ceramics Club member Rhonda Freid of Northbrook. "They're quite beautiful."

Oakton's event is part of a global movement, started by a Michigan high school art teacher looking for an innovative way his students could support a local food drive.

Since he launched the concept in 1990, artists around the world have caught onto the "empty bowls" concept and raised millions of dollars for food banks, soup kitchens and local food charities.

At Oakton, artists typically sell nearly 1,000 bowls and draw more than 500 people.

"It's a win-win," says Ceramics Club member Bud Sents of Glenview. "It's a chance to purchase unique artwork for yourself or as gifts, while contributing to worthy charities."

Just to get ready for the sale, Ceramics Club members hold four "bowl-a-thons" during the school year.

"We divide up: some do the throwing, others do the trimming, while others do the glazing," Sents adds. "It's a nice opportunity to work together as a team."

They also receive donations from area groups. This year they received nearly 200 bowls from groups such as the potters from Stirling Hall Arts and Activity Center in Lake Forest, the Evanston Art Center, and the Clayworkers' Guild of Illinois.

A mix of amateur and professional artists contribute to the silent auction and raffle drawing, like Oakton student Paula Cofresi-Silverstein of Evanston, who contributed three of her large works.

"I'm just so impressed with how many hours and hours go into this," she said. "This is really a labor of love."

Many of Oakton's Ceramics Club members are adult students who rallied around the idea of using their art to help feed the hungry.

Last year's event raised $16,000 and this year organizers expect to bring in more. Proceeds will be distributed to food pantries at Maine, Niles and Northfield townships; as well as the Des Plaines Self Help Pantry and the Evanston Interfaith Action Soup Kitchen.