The WSW Potluck Bowl Library

We come together at the table: resident artists, office staff, interns, volunteers, teachers, students, dogs and children convene to share a meal. Everyone brings an offering. It’s a colorful spread; all the mismatched pots; all the tasty dishes to share. We sit on benches, boxes, office chairs, the floor. A bowl rests on a filing cabinet, a plate is cradled on a lap. Sometimes a plate, bowl and cup are balanced precariously in a complex juggling act. Dixie, our office mascot, is standing at attention to clean any fallen crumbs off the floor. This communal moment is a welcome respite from all the creative activity in the studios. It is a time of sharing and connecting.

 The Potluck project came about after our 2012-13 admin intern Kristin Flemming, who was washing and storing dishes, exasperatedly tried to create a tall stack from the eclectic mix of bowls.  The ceramic contingency decided we should design something more suitable for the unique needs of the WSW potluck. A bowl small enough to sample both the lentil and the squash soup while sitting squarely on a plate full of food. A bowl stable enough not to topple as an artist makes her way around the table and then sits cross legged on the floor to eat. They were to be a set of small bowls that were ergonomically designed to stack easily, but still unique enough in decoration to reflect the great diversity of creativity and personality that we are graced with on daily basis.

Britny Wainwright and Ruth McKinney Burket are inviting the WSW community to add their creative touch to the potluck experience. You can paint, draw, carve, press, silk screen print and glaze an image or pattern onto the bowls they have designed. Over time the Potluck Luck Bowl Library will become a tangible record of those who have shared a meal here.