BUTTE - For the past 13 years, artists in Butte have been making these beautiful, hand-crafted bowls for the Empty Bowls event. It’s a fundraiser to make sure students in Butte never have an empty bowl.
“I feel great that we’re able to do this, I feel bad that we have to do it, but it’s something I feel our community needs,” Hungry Hill Art Center Director Mike Kujawa said.
About 60 artists have made about 1,300 bowls at the Hungry Hill Art Center since last fall, which will be sold at the upcoming Empty Bowls event at the Butte Civic Center. Proceeds from the event will go to the Butte Emergency Food Bank's backpack program that provides food for needy students over the weekend.
WATCH: Butte artists crafted about 1,300 bowls for the Empty Bowls fundraiser to help feed local students
“I hear back from elementary teachers who appreciate it so much every time when their kids show up on Monday, and they're not hungry,” Kujawa said.
Making the bowls is also good for the artists. Mark Gollinger signed up in December when he took a pottery class that was free for veterans. He said throwing bowls is good therapy for him.
“It just chills me out, gets my brain focused on what’s right in front of me and puts me in the present,” Gollinger said.
Guests can buy a ticket for a $20 bowl, a $50 bowl, or a $100 bowl. Along with the bowl, the event offers soup from dozens of local businesses and organizations and live music.
Artists are grateful to have their bowls going to a good cause.
“That’s the best part about art: making people happy with your art. Somebody gets my bowl that's not as good as some of the other artists here, then I’d really feel happy,” Gollinger said.
Tickets for the April 8th event can be purchased at the Butte Civic Center. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the civic center.
