Naperville artists team up help the hungry

Care for those who are food insecure is a dear issue to artists Laurie Pollpeter Eskenazi and Sophia Forero.

To provide relief to struggling families in DuPage County, the local artisans are continuing a 15-year tradition of artful giving by hosting the Holiday Artists' Open House, a seasonal show benefiting Loaves and Fishes Community Services. The show runs Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 19 to 21, at the Potting Shed in Naperville.

"Giving back is such an important facet to this show," said Forero, a Naperville resident and world-renowned jewelry designer. "We feel like we can reach so many members of our community through such a stellar organization as Loaves and Fishes."

Forero and Pollpeter Eskenazi, a ceramic artist, will be joined by Kristen Jongen, an internationally recognized artist, writer, motivational speaker and founder of Soul Soup. Also showing will be Cheryl May, oil painter and mixed media creator, and Kate Keilty, potter and arts educator.

Together, they will present an array of holiday gifts, including ceramics, jewels, ornaments, original prints, greeting cards, books and oil paintings.

The show will be open 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Potting Shed, located behind 225 N. Wright St., Naperville.

The Midwestern artists sell their work all over the U.S. The list of stores includes Macy's, museum shops like Asheville's Biltmore Estate, galleries such as Zoo Gallery in Destin, Florida, and boutiques like Patricia Shoppe of Door County, Wisconsin.

The artists will donate 15 percent of all sales from the three-day show to aid the food and empowerment programs Loaves and Fishes provides for DuPage County residents.

"I look forward to hosting our annual holiday open house," Pollpeter Eskenazi said. "It's a great time to get together with fellow artists and to collectively give back to our community."

Attendees are encouraged to bring toiletry items that will be donated directly to Loaves and Fishes. The names of those who bring toiletry items will be entered in a raffle sponsored by the artists. Prizes from each artist will be given to separate winners at the conclusion of the show.

For information, visit loaves-fishes.org and click on events.