Bowls of art: Empty Bowls Project in the painting stage

The 700 bowl goal of the local Empty Bowls project was met weeks ago. Now they just need painting.

Handmade bowls fill shelves in the basement of the Garden Gallery at 835 Broadway -- the headquarters for bowl-making. But three shelves stand six feet tall and are covered with naked bowls.

Linda Bohnsack, owner of Garden Gallery, estimated about 200 bowls still need to be painted, but she isn't worried. A LaCroix United Methodist Church group is scheduled to take over the basement Sept. 26 to paint bowls.

"I expect with that church we'll get 100 bowls painted that day," she said.

Bohnsack has let the Empty Bowls program use her store's basement since it started in 2006. This year, though, she increased her involvement and started scheduling bowl parties and hosting bowl making and painting sessions during First Friday Art Walks each month.

"I have more free time this year," Bohnsack said. "I felt like this was the most worthy thing I could do with that time."

Empty Bowls is a national not-for-profit organization that raises money for local food banks by having community volunteers make bowls and then host a dinner where attendees get a handmade bowl and a modest meal.

The clay and paints were paid for by a United Way of Southeast Missouri grant.

Organizers added an auction to this year's event. With many artists volunteering their time to make or paint bowls, they felt some could go for more than the ticket price.

The Empty Bowl auction will be Oct. 2 at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

"Obviously this bowl is worth more than a $12 ticket," Bohnsack said as she held up a jungle-themed bowl painted by local photographer and artist Aaron Horrell.

A perceived lack of talent shouldn't keep novice painters away. Bohnsack said each bowl is special.

"The personality of the volunteer comes out in what they make," she said.

Garden Gallery will host scheduled painters until all the bowls are finished. Bohnsack said at that time, they'll evaluate the number of bowls and decide whether they'll have potters come make more.

The Empty Bowls dinner will be Nov. 8.