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#SCartists sweep top prizes at WMAC’s first juried show

The first-place winner in West Main Artists Co-op’s first four-state juried art exhibit -- WMAC 2019 -- is Cindy Shute of Lockhart, SC, for her oil-on-linen painting Peacemaker: Hrair Balian. She receives a cash prize of $2,500 that was given in memory of Frank P. Cyrill, Jr. Second prize of $1,000 was taken by Gordon Dohm of Greenville for his photograph Fungi Fantasy. The third-place prize of $500 was won by Tracey M. Timmons of Spartanburg for Manacle of Justice, a bracelet made of vitreous enamel, copper, silver, brass, and photography. The seven merit awards of $100 and $250 went to Mark Flowers of Alexander, NC; Lee Sipe of Columbia; Sabrina Barilone of Macon, Georgia; Tom Dimond of Seneca; Christina Dixon of Roebuck; David Stuart of North Augusta; and Martha Worth of Hilton Head. [gallery link="file" ids="42280,42282,42281"]

WMAC 2019 opened on Saturday, Sept. 14, and closes Saturday, Oct. 19. It was open to all adult visual artists in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. Two-hundred-forty-one (241) artists from the four states applied, and 66 were admitted into the show based on the judgement of jurors Ann DerGara and  Mike Vatalaro. The winners were announced Saturday, Sept. 21, during a reception and awards ceremony. Seventy-four (74) works of art in this exhibit are on display at the Co-op, which is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There is no charge to see the exhibitions. In their jurors’ statements, DerGara said, “ I am amazed at the quality of work that was entered. I think that opening the show to additional states has made this become an important show for the region and Spartanburg. The arts are growing rapidly in the region and this show will make Spartanburg known as art venue as well as Asheville and Greenville. As the Arts grow so does the economy. WMAC produced this show and jury with professionalism and expertise.” "The very nature of a juried exhibition celebrates a broad range of medium and imagery. I enjoyed the task of identifying works that well represented the mediums chosen, techniques accomplished and the subjects investigated. The exhibition reveals a broad selection of work which I believe demonstrate an individual vision within both conventional and experimental genres. I was very impressed by the quality and richness demonstrated in all of the mediums displayed. I hope you will find each work invites close examination and has something unique to offer," Vatalaro said. A list of all accepted work can be found online at WestMainArtists.org. “We could not be happier with our first juried show,” Chairwoman Beth Regula said. “This is something we had wanted to do for several years, and it took more than a year of planning, but it was worth it. Having a show of this magnitude and with these cash prizes establishes West Main Artists Co-op as an art agency that is leading Spartanburg in its quest to be an art Mecca in South Carolina and throughout the South. It says we have the creativity, the know-how, the professionalism, the resources, and the desire to take the Co-op to the next level. Next year will be even better!”
“I’m so excited to be a part of WMAC’s world,” Shute said. “This first exhibition was as professionally conducted as I have ever seen. When I was told I was Best in Show, at the time, honestly, I was shocked. It’s not that I didn’t think my painting is good. As a professional artists mature, we know our good work from our less successful efforts—I think that’s a key part of being a professional. So I wasn’t surprised to have been included in the show. “When I arrived that evening and saw the body of work I was thrilled. Virtually every piece in the exhibition is good—very good. A couple of pieces took my breath away. So, I felt particularly honored to be included. With Peacemaker, I had pushed myself into a new space with portraiture. In my early work I tended to avoid background, contextual elements, thinking at the time that the subject should convey their story a priori—that the essence of the sitter should be codified in the presentation of their likeness, and if successful, the minimalist approach would say everything that needed to be said. So this new approach for me, including symbolic elements to tell the story, was a big leap. “I honestly feel validated,” she continued. “I wasn’t sure if the piece worked. So now I’m really charged up about this new direction, and ready to take on more portrait-stories. And I’m so very grateful to WMAC for giving me a big hug along the way!”
The Co-op is a membership-based nonprofit arts agency with more than 50 members, who are visual artists and performing artists. It is housed in a former Baptist church near downtown Spartanburg on West Main Street. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Co-op houses  31 artists studios, two stages, three galleries, a printery, a ceramics studio, and the largest collection of for-sale locally made art in Spartanburg. Each month, the Co-op normally installs three exhibits by its members and guest artists. For more, visit the Co-op's website by clicking here.

West Main Artists Co-op’s first juried exhibition underway

WMAC 2019 open through Oct. 19

[caption id="attachment_41942" align="aligncenter" width="600"] North Charleston Arts Fest 2018. File photo by Zan Maddox.[/caption]
(Ed. note: Pardon The Hub for not posting last week; we were on vacation.) West Main Artists Co-op will host its first regional juried art exhibition -- WMAC 2019 -- open now though Saturday, Oct. 19, in Spartanburg. The show was open to all adult visual artists in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. The first-place winner will receive $2,500; second-place, $1,000; third-place, $500; and merit awards will total $500. Two-hundred-forty-one (241) artists from the four states applied, and 66 were admitted into the show based on the judgement of jurors Ann DerGara and Mike Vatalaro. These jurors will also work together to  pick the final winners, who will be announced on Saturday, Sept. 21 during a reception and awards ceremony. Seventy-four (74) works of art will be on display. “This exhibit has been a goal of West Main Artists Cooperative for several years,” Co-op Chair Beth Regula said. “We are celebrating our 10th anniversary this year and felt the time was right. What better way to celebrate our hard work than to open our doors to artists from four states and let them celebrate with us?" "Spartanburg is becoming a cultural destination, and this exhibit will only enhance that reputation. We are grateful for the support from this community. As Spartanburg grows and thrives, so do we. When artists and a community work together, we all benefit,” Regula said. Work accepted into the exhibition includes painting, pastel, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, glass, photography, fiber arts, original hand-pulled fine art prints, jewelry, weaving, basketry, and wood. Nearly all of the work will be for sale. “Coordinating WMAC 2019 has been in the making for more than a year,” Regula said. “Having a regional juried exhibition is something we believe is very important in the advancement of the Co-op and in the advancement of the arts in Spartanburg. Art has become a vital force to be reckoned with in Spartanburg, and West Main Artists Co-op is leading the way for regional artists. Our membership includes some of the region’s most noted artists. Our exhibits include artists from many different regions of the southeast. I invite everyone to see this very important exhibition, knowing it is the product of much work and high standards. It will have some of the best art to be found in the four states. As the name implies -- WMAC 2019 -- we plan to make this an annual event!” If You're Going... The artwork in WMAC 2019 will be open for free public viewing Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A public reception will be Saturday, Sept. 21 from 6-8 p.m. with an awards ceremony at 7 p.m. Another reception will be held on Thursday, Sept. 19, 5-9 p.m., during the city’s monthly ArtWalk. Free. (578 West Main St., Spartanburg, 864.804.6501.)

The Jurors

Ann DerGara began her formal education at Georgia State University. In 1978, a printmaking course at Atlanta College of Art led her to Dick Williams and the innovative and contemporary Odyssey Studio. The artist first pursued etching, collagraphy, and serigraphy printmaking techniques. In 1990 she began her exploration of monoprinting. Roger Caplan of Soho Myriad Fine Art has written, “Looking back on a career that has seen her work exhibited in Europe, Japan and Australia as well as the United States, one is struck by the constant and apparently effortless development of imagery and technique which has left Ann DerGara three steps ahead of familiar imitators.” A practitioner of both abstract and realistic styles, DerGara is the owner of the Red Wolf Gallery in Brevard, NC. Mike Vatalaro has more than 40 years of experience as a professor and studio artist. His work, which includes wood-fired stoneware thrown vessels as well as large terra cotta sculptural forms, has been exhibited nationally and internationally. In 1998, he participated in the IWCAT Workshop and Ceramics Exhibition at Cera Gallery in Tokoname, Japan, and was an Artist Resident at Tainan University of the Arts in Taiwan (2008). His work has been recognized with several grants and awards such as the South Carolina Arts Commission Fellowship for Crafts (1994-1995 and l983-l984), the Walter Gropius Visiting Artist Fellowship in Huntington, West Virginia, and the Watershed Center for Ceramic Art Residency at Newcastle, Maine (2004).

About West Main Artists Co-op

West Main Artists Co-opis a nonprofit and membership-based arts agency, housed on West Main Street in Spartanburg in a converted three-story church. It has more than 50 active members of which about 30 have studio space in the venue. Each month, it hosts three art exhibits and is one of the more-popular venues to visit during the city’s monthly ArtWalk. In addition, it has three galleries, two performance stages, a ceramics studio, a printery, and the most extensive collection of for-sale and locally made art in Spartanburg. For more information, please visit online: WestMainArtists.org.

Spartanburg Fringe Festival seeks artwork for ‘Out of the Box’

New festival seeks "the odd, the strange"

Application deadline: Wednesday, May 15
Spartanburg Fringe Festival is calling all artists to submit artwork to its “Out of the Box” exhibit that will run for the month of June 2019 at West Main Artists Co-op. [caption id="attachment_34666" align="alignright" width="268"] The world-famous Hub Calls for Art Megaphone.[/caption] “Spartanburg Fringe Festival has taken off amazingly well,” Festival Founder and Director Sandy Staggs said. “We have booked some truly wonderful shows, and now we want to include visual arts as well. The month-long exhibit ‘Out of the Box,’ is open to any established artist who wants to apply and submit work that is not mainstream. We are looking for the unusual, the odd, the highly creative, the strange—any paintings, sculptures, or other visual creations that might be considered on the fringe of creativity.” The deadline to apply is Wednesday, May 15. Decisions on acceptance will be made by Wednesday, May 22. All art and related materials must be delivered to West Main Artists Co-op (578 West Main St., Spartanburg) by individual appointment during the week of May 20-24. The exhibit will open Saturday, June 1, and will close Saturday, June 29. Even though the Festival is opening the door to creativity as wide as possible, its management reserves the right to reject submissions that are hateful, in bad taste, truly offensive and without merit, or otherwise unacceptable by even the most liberal evaluation. Before submitting work for inclusion in “Out of the Box,” please visit the Festival’s website, SpartanburgFringeFestival.com, for a more complete understanding. To apply and submit work for the exhibit, contact Staggs via email at Festival@SpartanburgFringeFestival.com or Steve Wong at Just4Wong@Gmail.com. You may also call 864-316-6559.  In the email, please include basic information about yourself as an artist and a photograph of the art you wish to submit.
Main post photo from Pexels

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Spartanburg Fringe Festival: new festival calling all artists

'Outside of the mainstream' festival coming to Spartanburg

Application deadline: Monday, April 15, 2019 Spartanburg Fringe Festival is seeking artists to perform and showcase in this inaugural summer festival that will celebrate and promote performances and other art forms that are normally considered outside of the mainstream of creativity. [caption id="attachment_34666" align="alignright" width="275"] The world-famous Hub Calls for Art Megaphone.[/caption] The festival will be held June 1-29, 2019 at West Main Artists Co-op and other venues in Spartanburg. The deadline for artists to apply is April 15, 2019. Performers in all disciplines are invited to apply, including theatre, music, dance, film, comedy, spoken word, and more. The festival is open to visual artists as well. The month-long event is described as Spartanburg’s Underground Arts Festival.

“Think of this as a cross between a classic ‘fringe’ festival and South Carolina’s Spoleto arts festival in Charleston,” Festival Director Sandy Staggs said. “The aim is to push the boundaries of performance art as we know it in Spartanburg by featuring artists working on the fringes. We want to create an open and accessible platform for artistic expression for both emerging local artists and to give our more-established artists an opportunity to present works that may not fit into their general programming for various reasons.”

Headlining the Festival are several Co-op performing artists, including Proud Mary Theatre Company, which will present the troupe’s first musical “Fun Home,” the Tony-winning and groundbreaking work based on the graphic novel by Alison Bechdel; Scrappy Shakespeare and its summer production of “Much Ado About Nothing”; Sparkle City Improv; a new work by playwright Anna Elliot; performances by musician Josh Tennant; live art and performance by the MADDArtist Gilliam; and much more. According the festival’s website, “The festival is uncensored – content is entirely up to the artist, experimentation is encouraged. The festival is inclusive – artists from a variety of cultural perspectives, artists from underrepresented communities, and artists presenting work that is culturally specific and geographically diverse are encouraged to apply.” Most of the Festival will be held at the Co-op in The Venue, the converted sanctuary of the former church. The Venue is normally dedicated as exhibition space for WMAC’s member and guest artists, but is also suitable for plays, concerts, and dance performances. It will seat more than 100 people. Both short (5-30 minutes) and full-length (45-90 minutes) programs are being sought in all mediums with an emphasis on “fresh, new, different, edgy, and most of all, local.” Staggs added. “The Festival both celebrates the artists and collaborates with the artists in a partnership that gets their work shown and attended, and ensures (in most cases) our artists are compensated. If you are an artist or an art lover, hold on to your seat. We want to blow your mind.” Other venues, galleries, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bookstores, etc. in the city and county are encouraged to add fringe performances and events to the Festival line-up as well. Additionally, the Fringe Festival is currently seeking sponsors. To apply or for more information, please visit SpartanburgFringeFestival.com, email Festival@SpartanburgFringeFestival.com or call 864.580.8385.

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So you want to be in an art show…

West Main Artists Co-op and Converse College partner for workshop

West Main Artist Co-op and Converse College are partnering to provide a free workshop on what it takes to be in a juried art show Saturday, Feb. 16, 1-3 p.m. at the Co-op on West Main Street in Spartanburg. The workshop – “Jury Ready: Preparing to Enter a Juried Show” – will be led by Converse students, most of whom are majoring in fine art or studio art. The lead student will be Jillian Stelow, an art history major minoring in arts management. This workshop is also part of the Co-op’s first four-state juried show – WMAC 2019 – scheduled for the fall. Neither tickets nor registration are required to attend this workshop. “As the Co-op began to organize for WMAC 2019, we quickly realized that many artists don’t understand the process of being in a juried art show,” chairperson Beth Regula said. “To help artists understand what needs to be done for this show and any other, we partnered with Converse College to create this workshop. It will be ideal for any artist who has ever considered applying to be in a juried show. The students will cover the entire process, all of the nuts and bolts, such as ‘What does juried mean?’ Not everyone understands that ‘juried’ means to be judged for inclusion into the show. Of course, there’s a lot more to being in a juried show, and this workshop should answer all the questions.” Other topics to be discussed include meeting deadlines, how to photograph your work, how to register online, how to price your work, how to hang your work, how to transport and insure your work, promotions including social media, art talks, and collaboration with other artists. The workshop will also allow participants to ask questions. Leading the students in this workshop will be Assistant Professor of Art Mary E. Carlisle, who holds a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees in studio art and arts administration. “Our goal in the Department of Art and Design is to provide exceptional visual arts programs and dynamic educational and artistic experiences to our students,” she said. “Collaborations such as this one allow them to go out into the field and share their knowledge with a community of artists, while gaining hands-on experience. Projects like this also serve as an excellent example of our School of the Arts initiative, 'Creativity That Works,' through which we prepare passionate young artists for productive careers in the arts. “Students in our arts management minor program study the importance of a community to the mission of arts nonprofits and the potential impact such organizations can have in their community as a result,” she continued. “I am thrilled that this collaboration with West Main Artists Co-op provides an opportunity to support WMAC's mission to create a community of artists and provide opportunities for artists at various stages in their careers. Age is not always indicator of experience, and I hope that this program encourages artists who have never applied to participate in a juried show, or responded to a call for entries, to use this as an opportunity to learn the essentials so that they feel confident in taking that next step to get their work out there.”
[caption id="attachment_34666" align="alignright" width="225"] The world-famous Hub Calls for Art Megaphone.[/caption] This workshop is one of the first steps in the Co-op’s juried show that will run Saturday, Sept. 14, to Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. The show is open to any visual artists over the age of 18 in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Online registration and application will begin on Sunday, July 7, and will end on Saturday, Aug. 3. After the entries have been juried/judged, applicants will be notified by Saturday, Aug. 17. Applicants will pay a $35 non-refundable entry fee to enter as many as three pieces of visual art, including both 2- and 3-dimensional. Cash prizes will include first-place, $2,500; second-place, $1,000; third-place, $500; and merit awards totaling $500. For complete details, please visit WestMainArtists.org. Brochures for WMAC 2019 are available at West Main Artists Co-op, 578 West Main Street, Spartanburg. The Co-op is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
West Main Artists Co-op is one of the leading arts agencies in Spartanburg, with a membership of more than 50 juried artists. It is housed in a converted church and includes studio space for about 30 artists. It also has three galleries, a printery, a pottery studio, two stages for performances, and the county’s largest rotating collection of for-sale artwork made by local artists. Each month, the nonprofit agency hosts three free art exhibitions of work by its members and guest artists.

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S.C. Art Education Association honors West Main Artists Co-op

West Main Artists Co-op in Spartanburg received the 2018 “Business Supporter of the Year” award from the South Carolina Art Education Association. The award was presented to Co-op chair Beth Regula on Dec. 1 in Greenville by Cindy Riddle, the association’s president-elect and assistant superintendent of visual & performing arts for Spartanburg School District 1. “On behalf of West Main Artists Co-op, I want to thank everyone who has worked to make this recognition possible,” Regula said. “I want to especially thank Jane Nodine and Susanne Gunter for taking the initiative to write the letters of recommendation. Most importantly, I want to thank the member artists of West Main Artists Co-op because they are the ones who are out in the community and here in our studios and galleries finding creative ways for the Co-op to be involved and relevant. There is indeed a business side to art, and West Main Artists Co-op works very hard to be an active, and creative, member of the business community.” In her letter of support, Nodine, who is distinguished professor emerita of USC Upstate, said, “USC Upstate Art has maintained studio space at WMAC and offered that as an annual award to a deserving student. We have sponsored and partnered with WMAC in workshops and group exhibitions, and USC Upstate students have worked at the Co-op in internships that earn them academic credit and give them valuable field experience.” Dr. Gunter, chair for art and design at Converse College, said in her letter, “WMAC is a true partner to area schools, colleges, and universities. This fall, students in the Converse Arts Management program will be working to help with the first annual multi-state juried exhibition, providing students with a unique opportunity to assist with all levels of administrative tasks to put on a major exhibition. WMAC provides ‘work residencies’ to help struggling artists to provide a studio and membership. This is critical to the success of many young artist, in particular.” South Carolina Art Education Foundation (Association) is a chapter of the National Art Education Association (NAEA), which advances visual arts education to fulfill human potential and promote global understanding. NAEA is dedicated to providing you with connectivity, resources, and opportunities to enrich your classroom, enhance your career, and inspire your creativity. Connect to a worldwide network of like-minded artists and educators representing K-12 art educators and administrators, college and university professors, preservice students studying art education, researchers and scholars, museum educators, teaching artists, and more. The mission of West Main Artists Cooperative is to create a community of artists wherein members mentor and support one another; to provide affordable studio, display, and performance space to established and emerging artists living in and around Spartanburg, South Carolina; and to provide the public with opportunities to view original art and to interact with the artists. To learn more about WMAC, please visit WestMainArtists.org.

West Main Artists Co-op to exhibit ‘Mac’ Boggs retrospective

A lifetime of work by one of Spartanburg’s most celebrated artists – the late Mayo “Mac” Boggs – is being retrospectively exhibited at West Main Artists Co-op through June 16 to celebrate 43 years of international recognition and acclaim. This extensive collection of sculptures and 2-dimensional works-of-art -- “Mac Boggs: A Retrospective” -- can be seen at no charge Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 578 West Main St., Spartanburg, in the Co-op’s Venue gallery. [caption id="attachment_35333" align="alignright" width="150"] "A Green Season: The Activation of Space"
Mac Boggs
Metal sculpture[/caption] “This [is] West Main’s most important exhibit for the year,” Venue Committee Chair Dwight Rose said. “There is probably no other Spartanburg artist who has achieved as much recognition and respect as Mac Boggs. His work is literally around the world.” Boggs’ widow, Dr. Ansley Boggs, worked with Rose to curate this retrospective exhibit at the Co-op. Boggs passed away in 2014, at the age of 71. At that time, he was retired from teaching art at Converse College, where he retained the distinction of professor emeritus of art. The exhibit will include many abstract and non-representational metal and bronze sculptures, for which he is most known. However, the exhibit will also have marble constructions, paintings, computer graphics, prints, photographs of commissioned art, sketches of proposed sculpture, awards, newspaper articles, models of proposals, and letters from students and colleagues. “I hope that people appreciate Mac’s amazing versatility and creativity, as well as sense his inspiration, enthusiasm and passion for creating art and teaching,” Ansley Boggs said.

[caption id="attachment_35334" align="alignright" width="200"] "Talisman"
Mac Boggs
Metal sculpture[/caption] Mac Boggs was born and raised in Ashland, Ky. He earned a bachelor’s in art from the University of Kentucky and a master’s of fine arts (sculpture) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. From 1970-2013, Mr. Boggs was the professor of sculpture at Converse College in Spartanburg. He received numerous awards and honors, and in 1991, he was named Honorary Artist of Spartanburg by proclamation of the Mayor. In 2000, the Mayor proclaimed a “Mayo ‘Mac’ Boggs Day.” In 2008, he was selected to serve as a Technical Collaborator for the Lynne Streeter Art and Marble Stone-carving Summer Workshop of Pietrasanta, Italy. In 2010, Mr. Boggs was honored by Converse College, Wofford College, and USC-Upstate with a 40-year retrospective exhibition on each of the three campuses. And in 2013, he received the Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Award for the Arts, South Carolina's highest arts award. [caption id="attachment_35335" align="alignright" width="250"] Mac Boggs receives the Verner Award from then-Speaker Bobby Harrell in 2013.[/caption] He was best known for his metal sculptures in steel, stainless steel, and bronze. His work is in the presidential libraries of former U.S. presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and can be found internationally in permanent collections of numerous corporations. In addition, he has received sculpture commissions for public parks, libraries, college campuses, schools, local businesses, and private residences, two of which were for the home of the author, Lillian Jackson Braun. Mr. Boggs also carved marble and soapstone, and exhibited his photography and digital art. He frequently participated in local, regional, national, and international exhibitions. Also, he often served as a guest speaker for lecture-demonstrations. All the work in the Co-op exhibit will be on sale, ranging in price from $125 to $2,500 and all proceeds will be donated to the development of the Mac and Ansley Boggs Travel Scholarship Fund for Converse College art and education majors who do not have the financial means to travel. Mr. Boggs believed strongly in the importance of travel to a student’s art and life, Ansley Boggs said.
For more information about the Mac Boggs retrospective art exhibit at West Main Artists Co-op, please visit WestMainArtists.org.  

Making art to feed the hungry: Hub City Empty Bowls 2016

Hub City Empty BowlsHub City Empty Bowls is gearing up for Soup Day, its annual arts-based fundraiser to feed hungry people in Spartanburg County. Each year, the public is invited to make the hand-crafted pottery bowls that are featured on Soup Day. Three bowl-making events are scheduled:

  • Saturday, July 16, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. in Spartanburg Art Museum’s studios at Chapman Cultural Center
  • Thursday, July 21, 6-8:30 p.m. at West Main Artists Co-Op
  • Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-noon and 1-3 p.m. in Spartanburg Art Museum’s studios at Chapman Cultural Center.
These free, family-friendly events provide the experience of working with clay at any level of experience, including no experience. The clay, facilities, and instruction are all donated. Members of Carolina Clay Artists and volunteers will be on hand to instruct participants in bowl-making techniques. “People look forward to our bowl-making events every year,” said Nancy Williamson, publicity leader for Carolina Clay Artists. “I see some of the same faces and families come back each year. It’s fun, easy, creative, free, and, of course, it is for a good cause. I am truly amazed at some of the raw talent I see. Even more amazing is to see all the finished bowls laid out on Soup Day for the public to take home. It’s almost like an art exhibit – a huge art exhibit with every color of the rainbow and shape imaginable.” Soup Day takes place Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chapman Cultural Center. For every $15 donation, a donor gets to keep a bowl of his or her choice and enjoy a simple meal of soup, bread, and tea. Patrons can enjoy soup donated by some of the best restaurants in Spartanburg, listen to live music and share in the fellowship of helping to feed local citizens. A silent auction of donated items and a drum circle are part of the event. TOTAL Ministries will receive the proceeds to help feed the needy in Spartanburg County. Last year’s campaign allowed Hub City Empty Bowls to make an all-time high donation of $26,000 to TOTAL Ministries. Empty Bowls was started by a high school teacher in Michigan in 1990 as a student project to help feed the needy and has grown into an international phenomenon. There are hundreds of Empty Bowls projects around the world, raising millions of dollars to feed the hungry. Each Empty Bowls organization is independent and self-governed. 2016 marks the eighth year that Carolina Clay Artists has spearheaded the Spartanburg effort. Thus far, this year’s sponsors are Spartanburg Regional Foundation Healing Arts Fund, Carolina Clay Artists, West Main Artists Co-Op, Action Printing, Milliken & Company, Wheresville Productions, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg Art Museum, and Chris Williams. The project is seeking more sponsors: companies and individuals willing to donate funds; restaurants to donate soup, bread, and tea; other businesses to donate eating utensils; individuals and businesses to donate silent auction items; and potters to make the bowls. Those willing to donate should contact Traci Kennedy at Director@TotalMinistries.org or (864) 585-9167. For more information about TOTAL Ministries, visit TotalMinistries.org. Hub City Empty Bowls, a component fund of the Spartanburg County Foundation, was established to increase awareness about the issues of hunger and food insecurity and to help local organizations fight hunger. For more information, visit HubCityEmptyBowls.com or Hub City Empty Bowls on Facebook. Via: Hub City Empty Bowls  

Soup Day: Hub City Empty Bowls to feed the public and the needy

Hub City Empty Bowls’ seventh annual Soup Day will be Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Chapman Cultural Center with a goal to feed both the socially responsible public and the community’s most needy citizens. On Soup Day, more than 15,000 handmade pottery bowls will be available for purchase for donations of $15 each. Participants will then enjoy unlimited gourmet soup provided by more than 20 local restaurants. In addition, the event will feature continuous live music, a silent auction, and drum circles throughout the day. They money raised will be given to TOTAL Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit agency that provides assistance to Spartanburg’s most needy citizens. Last year, Hub City Empty Bowls, which is spearheaded by Carolina Clay Artists, gave a record-breaking $22,500 to TOTAL Ministries. “This is one of Spartanburg’s most respected and enjoyable fundraisers,” said Nancy Williamson, Empty Bowls’ chairwoman. “It touches people in so many personal ways. It appeals to the creative community because of the pottery bowl-making. It appeals to shoppers who want unique handmade pottery for a great price. It appeals to foodies, who want all-you-can-eat gourmet soup. And it appeals to the socially responsible citizens who see this as a grassroots way to help make the world a better place. Plus it is a lot of fun on every level. What better way to spend a Saturday than coming together for a good cause, hearing great music, eating the best soups to be found in the city, banging on a drum, and taking home a few pottery bowls? The fellowship is amazing.” For the past three months, Carolina Clay Artists led public bowl-making sessions in Spartanburg Art Museum’s Art School and at West Main Artists Co-op. These have been free events, where anyone could make pottery bowls for Soup Day. The clay and professional instruction were free. Those bowls were then glazed and fired. Come Saturday, Sept. 26, more than 1,500 colorful bowls of all shapes and sizes will be laid out in the lobby of Chapman Cultural Center’s theater. “When we open the doors, there is a bit of mad rush by some people to get first dibs,” Williamson said. “It all depends on what you are looking for. If you want primitive child-like bowls, we have them. If you want professional bowls, we have them. And we have everything in between, and some people get stacks of them for Christmas presents. It is an impressive sight to see all of the bowls laid out on as many tables as we can cram into the lobby.” After you get your bowls, you are invited to eat all of the soup you want, provided by restaurants stationed around the room. “You are discouraged from eating out of the pottery bowls,” Williamson said. “They are clean but just not clean enough to eat out of until you take them home and wash them. We’ll have plenty of paper bowls to eat out of.” Also provided will be bread, tea, and water. Throughout the day, various local musicians will provide continuous live music. There will also be a silent auction of donated items, many of which are pottery. Everyone is invited to participate in the drum circle. “It is just a fun day,” Williamson said. “It is a very important day for the community’s needy,” Traci Kennedy, Executive Director of TOTAL Ministries, said. “When someone gives us $20,000, we know we can feed a lot people who need it. In Spartanburg County about 43,000 people each day are in danger of going hungry, many of whom are children and elderly. With the money that Hub City Empty Bowls raised last year, we fed nearly 10,000 people. That’s a pretty good dent in the problem. We cannot thank Hub City Empty Bowls enough.” This year’s sponsors are Chris Williams, Carolina Clay Artists, Chapman Cultural Center, West Main Artists Co-op, Spartanburg Art Museum, Action Printing, and Wheresville Productions. The musicians will be Daniel Z, Fayssoux McLean and David Ezell, 2 Daves, mark Miller, Frank Walker, and drum circles led by Melisa Emkjer. The restaurants and food providers will be Willy Taco, Fatz, Sun King, Cribbs Kitchen, Cribbs Catering, Gerhards, Farmer’s Table, Sparks Fire Inspired Grill, II Samuels, Palmetto Palate, Lime Leaf, Moveable Feasts, Renato’s, Basil’s, McClellan’s Urban Eatery, Andre Nguyen, Garner’s, NuWay, Wild Aces, Mon Amie, Southern BBQ, Episcopal Church of the Advent Young Adults, The Beacon, Cakehead Bakery, Little River Roasting Co., Long Horn’s, Chick-fil-A, and Wade’s. This program is supported in part by The Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg, its donors, the County and City of Spartanburg and the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John and Susan Bennett Memorial Arts Fund of the Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina. For more information, please contact Williamson at (864) 621-2768 or visit HubCityEmptyBowls.com. Via: Chapman Cultural Center

Hub City Empty Bowls: make a bowl, help feed the hungry

Hub City Empty Bowls is gearing up for its 2015 bowl-making sessions and Soup Day, a fundraiser to help feed hungry people in Spartanburg. The first two bowl-making sessions will be Thursday, June 18, during ArtWalk at West Main Artists Co-Op, 6 - 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, June 20, 10 a.m. - noon and 1 - 3 p.m., at Spartanburg Art Museum’s Art School at Chapman Cultural Center. The money raised through the public’s making of handmade pottery bowls will be donated to TOTAL Ministries, a charity dedicated to feeding local citizens who don’t have enough to eat. Hub City Empty Bowls is a project of Carolina Clay Artists. Hub City Empty BowlsEmpty Bowls is an international fundraising project that has taken root in many communities as a grassroots effort to feed local and needy citizens. Over the course of a few months, citizens are invited to make handmade pottery bowls at no cost. Bowl-making sessions are always fun and family oriented events. Those bowls are then professionally glazed and fired. At the end of the project, the public is invited to Soup Day, where citizens may pick out the bowls of their choice for a $15 donation each and then enjoy unlimited soup donated by local restaurants. Other activities on Soup Day include live music, silent auctions, drum circles, and fellowship. Hub City Empty Bowls’ Soup Day will be Saturday, Sept. 26, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., at Chapman Cultural Center. Additional bowl-making sessions will be July 18, 10 a.m. - noon and 1 - 3 p.m., at Chapman Cultural Center; Aug. 20, 6 - 8:30 p.m., during ArtWalk at West Main Artists Co-Op; and Aug. 22, 10 a.m. - noon and 1 - 3 p.m., at Chapman Cultural Center. All supplies and instruction are provided by Carolina Clay Artists. The public need only bring enthusiasm, creativity, hands willing to get dirty, and a canned food donation for TOTAL Ministries. This is the seventh year that Carolina Clay Artists has sponsored Hub City Empty Bowls. Last year, the recipient of the funds was TOTAL Ministries, and the record-breaking net donation was $22,500. “Empty Bowls has become one of Spartanburg’s most favorite and most inclusive fundraising events,” Chairman Nancy Williamson said. “I think the keys to the success are the grassroots approach – making sure the money we raise gets to the people who need it, the public’s opportunity to make pottery bowls, and the accessibility of Soup Day. Where else can you donate $15 and get a nice pottery bowl to keep, all the gourmet soup you can eat, listen to live music, and socialize with like-minded people? It’s just a good deal; a win-win for everyone.” This year’s sponsors of Hub City Empty Bowls are Chris Williams, Carolina Clay Artists, Chapman Cultural Center, West Main Artists Co-Op, Spartanburg Art Museum, Action Printing, and Wheresville Productions. “We always need sponsors,” Williamson said. “If anyone wants to help or if any business wants to contribute, please contact me.” For more information about Hub City Empty Bowls, contact Williamson at (864) 621-2768. More information can be found online at HubCityEmptyBowls.com. The project can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Proceeds from this event will be directed to the Hub City Empty Bowls Project Fund, a component fund of The Spartanburg County Foundation established to increase awareness about the issues of hunger and food security, and to raise funds to help local organizations fight hunger. This year’s beneficiary organization is TOTAL Ministries.

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