Lunenburg School of the Arts hosting soup-bowl fundraiser
If you appreciate the arts and support gender equality and safe, healthy relationships, then you will be bowled over by an upcoming community fundraising initiative. The Lunenburg School of the Arts (LSA) will be hosting its third biennial Ramp It Up soup-bowl fundraiser in support of Second Story Women’s Centre (SSWC), an organization that supports women and gender-oppressed people, provides safer spaces, and advocates for social change.
Previous LSA fundraisers benefiting SSWC were held in 2017 and 2019.
LSA operations co-ordinator Katie Hall said during the two years between each event, the school collected hundreds of ceramic soup bowls donated by local artists, instructors, students and friends.
“In the past we hosted community soup-suppers where ticket holders could choose their favourite bowls, eat from them during supper, then take them home to be enjoyed,” said Hall.
“Pandemic restrictions prevent us from holding our traditional supper, so we will be hosting an online sale of the soup bowls during the week of May 10 to 15. Approximately 100 unique bowls will be on sale for $45 each. About 20 larger bowls and platters are priced individually,” she said.
All items will be displayed online and in storefront windows on the corner of Montague and Prince Streets in Lunenburg. Sales will commence at 10 a.m. on May 10 on a first-come-first-served basis.
The LSA was the brainchild of Douglas Bamford and the Honourable Wilfred Moore, both of whom serve on the school’s board. Moore is chair, while Bamford is treasurer and programs director.
“In 2012, Wilfred and I met for the first time. Through our conversations we learned we shared a long-time dream to start a school for the arts in Lunenburg, and here it is,” enthused Bamford, who is a Sheridan College of Design and Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) graduate.
“It has been a real success, well supported by the community,” he said.
Bamford said the concept of crafting bowls for charity goes back to Detroit, circa 1990, when some potters got together to create an event in which restaurants donated soup to be served in handcrafted ceramic bowls to raise money for charity. The concept spread rapidly throughout the U.S.
Walter Ostrom, then a NSCAD professor, was speaking at a conference in Detroit and heard about the potters’ fundraiser. When he returned to Halifax, he launched a similar initiative, Hungry Bowls.
An arts writer once opined that Ostrom, one of Canada’s foremost ceramic artists, “revolutionized clay from ethical brown earthenware to colourful, bright maiolica, and inspired generations of ceramists.”
Bamford was involved with Hungry Bowls for 15 years before he moved to Lunenburg a decade ago.
“Wilfred and I discussed aligning with a local charity, and we chose the women’s centre because it seemed to provide such an essential, much-needed service to this community. The centre does incredible work and is terribly underfunded, so it’s an honour to be part of that,” said Bamford.
“Our students and faculty are busy making ceramic bowls. It’s a real team effort. We would like to match or exceed the amount of money raised in 2019, which was around $6,000. As in previous years, 100 per cent of sale proceeds will be donated to the women’s centre,” he added.
SSWC executive director Rhonda Lemire said the largest share of operating funds comes from the province, and while expenses have increased, there has been no increase in core revenue since 2014.
“Just to keep our doors open, we have to fundraise $40,000 this fiscal year, which began April 1. We receive donations from corporations, organizations and individuals, and we’re grateful for the ongoing support we receive from LSA. It’s incredibly important to our operations,” said Lemire.
She said the centre’s services, provided free of charge throughout Lunenburg and Queens Counties, include counselling, referrals, personal development, and wellness and youth programs.
“During the four years I’ve been with the centre, the demand for services has quadrupled,” she said.
Commenting on LSA’S appeal to students and instructors, Bamford explained the school is ideal for artists beginning their careers. He said the artists not only take classes, they teach courses.
“The last two years all our students were local, not from away. Despite the uncertainties of the pandemic, we ran more classes this past winter than we have ever done in previous winters,” he said.
Bamford said Anna Bald and Gillian Maradyn-jowsey are prime examples of artists who are a few years out of art school and can come back to Lunenburg to work with students and teachers.
“Being involved with a school like LSA helps talented artists like Anna and Gillian build momentum in their careers,” he said.
Bald grew up in Lunenburg, went away for school, then returned. She has been an instructor at the school for a couple semesters and before that participated in workshops as a student.
“I was really happy to see this school develop over a period of time, from rumours to fruition. And it’s great to see a hub develop around noncommercial art. Lunenburg has always been a cultural hub, but it’s exciting to see spaces expand that don’t necessarily revolve around tourism,” said Bald.
“I am painting and glazing bowls and some of the larger pieces for the sale, basically illustrating one-of-a-kind designs on ceramics. I am pleased to do my part for the women’s shelter,” she said.
A NSCAD graduate who participated in the Hungry Bowls initiative in Halifax, Maradyn-jowsey is a Lunenburg resident, an instructor at LSA and a participant in the Ramp It Up preparations.
“I’m making some of the bowls and helping with the glazing and decorating,” said Maradyn-jowsey.
“As a creative person, I believe it’s nice to be able to take something I’m good at and use that to help others. Fundraisers like this bring people and ideas together to benefit our community.”
For information about the Ramp It Up bowl sale, and LSA programs, visit www. lunenburgarts.org.
For details about the Second Story Women’s Centre, visit www.secondstory.ca.