Beautiful bowls fit for a feast

Marlborough’s finest produce will soon be showcased on the region’s finest pottery.

Members of the Marlborough Community Potters club are busy crafting 220 one-of-a-kind bowls ahead of the food extravaganza that is Feast Marlborough’s Gala Feast.

Meals from award-winning chef Bradley Hornby will be served up in the bowls on May 10 before they are washed and placed on display.

Residents with a hunger to own the unique creations can prepurchase a bowl by pledging as little as $29 in support of the Marlborough Community Potters club on their Facebook page.

Any bowls not purchased before the Feast Marlborough event will be available at Thomas’s Marlborough’s Friday Night Feast takeover on May 11. Veteran Marlborough Community Potters member Kate O’Sullivan said the bowls were completely unique. ‘‘Each of our bowls are made using different potting techniques,’’ O’Sullivan said.

‘‘Some bowls are hand built, some use basic tools and others are made on a pottery wheel. All bowls are glazed, coloured and signed, and we’ve made sure that they’re all dishwasher and micro- wave safe.’’

O’Sullivan hoped the bowls would bring in some muchneeded funds for the Marlborough Community Potters.

‘‘We’re trying to build new clubrooms so that we can host more classes and, by extension, more people. But until we have purpose-built facilities, we can’t do that.

‘‘We’re a young and active hub that benefits the community. Shaping clay is therapeutic. It encourages feelings of selfachievement and creativity while improving your fine motor and lateral thinking skills.’’

While improved facilities are Marlborough Community Potters’ number one priority, O’Sullivan said their wish list is growing.

‘‘In the future we’d like to acquire more potters’ wheels, integrate technology into teaching and hire a resident teacher who can facilitate potting classes,’’ she said.

‘‘Any one of these could really help improve our facilities and make pottery more accessible to all communities.’’

SCOTT HAMMOND/ STUFF Marlborough Community Potters president Sara Scott, left, and Kate O’Sullivan with some of the bowls created for Feast Marlborough.