Spotlight on Empty Bowls artists Claeson and Buer

Once again artists from the local community have donated their time and talent to the Empty Bowls Festival. Each artist’s uniquely decorated bowl or platter will be auctioned off at the festival to raise money for Upper Valley MEND in Leavenworth.
If you attended this year’s painting days at the end of January, you most likely saw Empty Bowl artist Linda Claeson. She wears many hats for the festival including managing all of the glazes as well as painting an auction bowl, raffle bowl and several reserve bowls for the soup supper.
“She is so welcoming and helpful to everyone,” stated fellow artist Suzie Lane who describes Linda as the hub in the wheel of Empty Bowls.
Linda got started working with clay when she purchased a kick-wheel at a yard sale years ago. It didn’t take long for her to ditch the kick wheel and buy an electric one. She quickly learned how to make pottery from reading books on the topic as well as taking some classes at the local college. Soon she had her own pottery studio and sold her creations at local art shows in the Tri-Cities area where she lived. Later, Linda taught her middle school students pottery.
Always inspired by a challenge Linda began experimenting with the gourds she was growing in her garden. Her beautifully decorated gourds are now on display at Two River’s Gallery in Wenatchee. Her latest challenge is painting with alcohol-based ink on tile.
Linda and her husband, Skip (who is on his second year as Empty Bowls Committee Chair), moved to Leavenworth seven years ago after retiring. They enjoy living in a smaller community in the mountains.
Another artist who contributes greatly to Empty Bowls is Gro Buer. In addition to painting an auction bowl with her signature whimsical animal images, she has been the artist liaison for the past five years. Her efforts help to coordinate more than 20 artists each year to create bowls for the auction as well as working with local businesses that display the creations in their store windows.
Art has always played an important role in Gro’s life. As a high school science and art teacher she integrated those two subjects to help her students create art in public places in the Seattle area where she and her family lived.  As a self-described crafts-person, some of Gro’s different creations have involved welding, beading, sewing, weaving/spinning and the traditional Norwegian folk-style painting of rosemaling.
Gro and her family moved to Leavenworth about 7 years ago. She is actively involved in the community and believes very strongly in the mission of Upper Valley MEND. In addition to her work with the Empty Bowls festival, she volunteers in other capacities for MEND such as at Jubilee and the free drop-in clinic at Cascade Medical Center.
In addition to the efforts of Linda and Gro, many other artists contributed their time and energy to create auction bowls. We appreciate the efforts of this year’s participating artists Amanda Gibbs, Amber Zimmerman, Barbee Teasly, Candy Dillhoff, Catey Luna, Cordi Bradburn, Dan McConnell, Diane Priebe, Hannah Pygott, Harriet Bullitt, Janet Millard, Josh Scharmann, Mara Bohman, Patti Erickson, Scot Brower, Suzie Lane, Teri Zimmerman, Thea Graham, Terry Porlier and Shelby Jo Campbell.
You can view and bid on these beautiful bowls and platters in a few weeks on the Upper Valley MEND website uvmend.org.