2021 Upper Valley Empty Bowls Auction

2021 marks a significant year for our beloved Upper Valley Empty Bowls (UV Empty Bowls) Festival in many ways– first of all, it’s our 25th anniversary! It is also a year impacted by the pandemic, where our Community Cupboard food bank needs our support more than ever. One good way to support the Community Cupboard hasn’t changed: the annual UV Empty Bowls on-line auction of bowls hand painted by local artists is going strong again this year. From 8 a.m. March 14 - 10 p.m. March 24. Twenty-five bowls designed and created by local artists and potters will be available for bidding on-line at the Upper Valley Empty Bowls website (www.uvemptybowls.org). Each bowl is also available for immediate purchase with a “buy it now price.” One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to supporting the Community Cupboard and local art grants for artists working with students in the Cascade School District.

Since 1983, the Community Cupboard in Leavenworth has served as a food bank to upper valley residents. Last year, the food bank served over 250 families each month, totaling up to around 700 people each month. That added up to over 750 households and 4000 people in 2020. This is a substantial part of our upper valley family, and a lot of food that is provided each year through the Community Cupboard. Fortunately, local fundraisers such as the Upper Valley Empty Bowls festival, provide funding to allow the Community Cupboard to supplement dry goods donations with nutritious high protein foods, as well as provide veggie vouchers for the Leavenworth Farmers’ Market. The food bank also assists families with rent, utility costs, transportation, fuel and emergency lodging.

The Upper Valley Empty Bowls festival usually contributes over $15,000 each year to the Community Cupboard and reserves an additional $1000 of the proceeds to support small art grants that benefit local youth. About half of the revenue is raised through bowl and soup supper ticket sales at the glazing days in January. The rest is raised through the online Auction of bowls painted by local artists.

This year, twenty-five of the best artists in Washington have donated their time and talents to decorate Auction bowls. Many artists, such as Catey Luna and Candice Ann have decorated bowls in past years. In fact, Dan McConnell has donated his cartooning skills to enhance auction bowls for most of the years the auction has been running. Six new artists join the exalted ranks this year: Jane Lee, Greta Enloe, Sara Horowitz, Chelsea Courtney, Claire Seaman and Juliana Marquis. In addition, there are several artists who share another bond: Erika and Greta Enloe, Carol Ann and Claire Seaman and Teri and Amber Zimmerman are three sets of Mother/Daughter artists donating their skills to this worthy effort. The 2021 auction bowls feature themes of nature, fish, familiar landscapes and even a rendition of the mosaic floor from a building in ancient Pompeii. Most bowls are ceramic, but the auction also features a turned madrone wood bowl by Scot Brower, as well as glass creations by Teri and Amber Zimmerman.

If you would like to view these spectacular bowls, please visit the uvemptybowls.org website. You can also tune in to KOHO radio on March 23rd (8-8:30 am) for a featured interview with UV Empty Bowls volunteers, artists, potters and community members. Although we can’t yet gather as a community to support the Community Cupboard, please consider participating in this auction and our 25th UV Empty Bowls celebration of community and the arts!