KVPAC's Parker Participates in 'Empty Bowls'
By: Nicole Rosky Sep. 27, 2010
Professional artist and potter, Valentine Parker is making an impression in clay by volunteering hundreds of hours to throw 500 bowls on a pottery wheel for a special event, Empty Bowls: Kids Feeding Kids. Empty Bowls is a grassroots movement started by a group of Michigan high school students to fight hunger and the concept has spread internationally. Valentine is characteristically modest about her ambitious endeavor and said, "I wanted to do something meaningful to celebrate my birthday by giving a gift to someone else. I realized one person could make a difference". Her original thought was to throw a 100 bowls, invite a few friends over for a party to glaze them for the Houston Food Bank. Valentine mentioned her idea to staff at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center (KVPAC) where she teaches clay classes, and the project exploded from 100 to 500 bowls and into a large scale Katy area community service project. Valentine said, "I can't think of a better way to spend my time".
Empty Bowls is organized by KVPAC and began with Valentine's bowls which were decorated by volunteer "bowl artists" at a series of free workshops. All supplies and instruction were provided free-of-charge thanks to workshop sponsors, CincoLife and Ceramics By Tess. Kristin Miller, KVPAC's Community Outreach Director, said, "Empty Bowls is more than feeding people, it is a great way to teach children to help others. We have had children as young as three years old decorate a bowl and understand they are helping another child".
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