Simple Idea Reminds Others of the Empty Bowls of the World

Linna Jones
Commentary Editor

Photo by Linna Jones

Empty Bowls - Chancellor Jack Lassiter and Judy Lassiter examine two bowls to see which one they want to take home at Empty Bowls April 1. Empty Bowls allows guests to have a “modest” meal of soup and bread, and then take home an empty bowl to remind them of the empty bowls in the world.

   The Art Department held its second annual Empty Bowls at the University of Arkansas-Monticello’s Trotter House Friday, May 1. 

    Scott Lykens, assistant professor of Art, described the basic idea for Empty Bowls as simple. 

   “Participants create ceramic bowls, and then serve a simple meal of soup and bread. Guests choose an empty bowl to keep as a reminder that there are always empty bowls in the world,” Lykens said.

   Lykens, staff at the Trotter House and other volunteers helped sell tickets this year. They sold 30 – 40 tickets in advance and about 70-75 tickets at the event. The money will be donated to local food pantries. Faculty, administration and students attended the event, as well as members of the Monticello community.

   “It’s a lovely event that reminds us to help one another and feed one another,” said Kim Wilson, a teacher of Art Appreciation at Monticello Intermediate School and art specialist and adjunct professor at UAM. “It’s wonderful that these art students are using their creativity and talents to do that.”

   The Art Program and its students provided 150 hand-made bowls for the fund-raiser. Each ticket holder chose a bowl to take home.

   Lykens and nine students in his Ceramics II class worked to make the bowls. Some students loaded kilns, packed bowls and made clay and glaze for the project as their bowl assignment for the class. Lykens said students like to make one bowl and end up making more bowls. A few of the students who helped and/or donated include: Keili Carpenter, Brandi Forrester, Jennifer Boykin, Monica Strickland and Josh Gibson.  

   Guests received a small bowl of soup and corn bread with the choice of tea or water to drink. They had a choice of a vegetarian soup, white chili and plain or Mexican corn bread prepared by UAM’s Hospitality Program for their “modest” meal. The program made the white chili with northern beans and baked chicken. Alice Lindsey, instructor of Hospitality at Crossett described the meal as a “meager” meal, a meal to fit the day and as simple choices with simple bowls of soup.  

   Chancellor Jack Lassiter described the meal as wonderful and said Empty Bowls does two things.

   “It lets our students show creativity in art and the culinary arts,” Lassiter said. “It also helps the local food pantries.”

   The fund-raiser collected $1,500 to give to the Senior Citizens Food Program of Drew County April 11, 2008. The Area Agency for Aging sold some of 150 tickets with the help of the Drew County Homemakers and the senior citizens of the Senior Citizen Center and won an award for the most innovative fund-raiser.

    The hospitality staff comprised of hospitality students from both the UAM-College of Technology-Crossett and UAM-College of Technology-McGehee, who served and cooked the meal. 

   First-year student Brenda Smith from the Hospitality program at COT-McGehee worked at the event for the first time.

   “I’m enjoying it very much,” Smith said. “I would like to participate in it again.”

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