Members of the San Antonio Potters Guild have been hard at work for months, creating thousands of bowls to benefit SAMMinistries this weekend.
For months now, pottery students Linda Perez and Deb Ferris and a dedicated group of fellow potters have been crafting bowls of different shapes and sizes to benefit San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries.
“This is a 12-hour process,” said Perez. “You change the ratio of air and gas so that reduction occurs two times during the firing.”
Perez and Ferris both have been staying late during the evenings to monitor and carefully reduce the kiln temperatures at just the right moment.
“The reduction changes the chemical reaction and gives beautiful results,” Perez said.
The result of their months is a stunning collection of more than 2,000 bowls that will be on sale this Sunday.
“This is our 14th annual Empty Bowls," said SAMMinistries President Navarra William. He said bowls made by the pottery students will be offered for sale, along with celebrity bowls.
“This year in particular we have one of our local celebrity, Armie Hammer, who played the Lone Ranger and also played both twins in 'The Social Network,' the movie about Facebook," he said.
The Empty Bowl events have raised $290,000 for SAMMinistries over the years. Each bowl sold for $18 comes with a cup of soup and will help a person stay in their home or transition to a home through the SAMMinistries shelter.
The event is from 11 am.m to 2 p.m. this Sunday at the Southwest School of Art. For more information visit www.samm.org.
Reporter's note: I will even have a bowl in the auction at this Sunday's event, which officials say will be held, rain or shine, at the Southwest School of Art.
