William Chanania, a Flint Hill senior, gives a demonstration on throwing clay. All components, including glaze, are safe, he said. Photo by Donna Manz.
For the second consecutive year, the students of Flint Hill School and their friends and family partnered to raise funds for DC Central Kitchen on Feb. 11. Students, under the direction of ceramics teacher Julia Cardone, hand-crafted and decorated 600 one-of-a-kind bowls, all of which were available "for sale" for the admission fee of $15. Guests were offered soup to fill their empty bowls, accompanied by fresh bread. Last year, with 300 bowls available for sale, Flint Hill raised close to $3,000 to feed the needy.
More than 75 participants contributed their time and skill to create the ceramic bowls, glazed and unglazed. Most were signed by the potter who threw them or the decorator. Experienced potters donated pieces for the silent auction. Lower-grade students not eligible for the upper school’s ceramics programs helped decorate the unfinished pieces.
"The spirit of the project is to bring in as many hands together to create the works you see," said Cardone. "We’ve all interacted together and we’ve accommodated to different skills levels."
A DJ played music to inspire a party mood, and potters from the school’s ceramic program gave "throwing" demonstrations.
Some lower-grade students, such as 7th-grader Jess Rappaport of Vienna, take private classes from Cardone. Jess estimates she contributed 14 to 15 unglazed pieces to the fundraiser.
Any unsold bowls will give the school a head-start for next year, Cardone said.
"Empty Bowls" took place on the upper campus of Flint Hill School in Oakton from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.