Superintendent’s Spotlight: The WVHS Empty Bowls Club

Empty Bowls is a global, artist-led grassroots movement that raises money to support charities providing for the hungry in their own communities. There are Empty Bowls groups all over the world, including at Warwick Valley High School. Student artists — advised by art teacher Nicole Sisco — make up the Empty Bowls Club, which shares the same vision and goals. They spend their free time creating for the cause, making handmade pieces that are sold at school and community events to raise funds for food-related charitable organizations serving our community.

The Empty Bowls Club members have interests and skills in a range of disciplines. Some have taken a ceramics class and some have not. Some come to the club right out of courses like Foundations in Art. There are students who love to draw and conceptualize designs, and others who like to focus on the wheel and ceramics.

This year, the club has been selling its handmade items at the popular Warwick Makers Markets, including some successful pre-holidays sales.

“For the Makers Market, I created a spoon rest,” said sophomore Helene Wires. “I’ve created family-oriented things, and also ornaments during Christmas, which was a big seller!”

Currently, the Empty Bowls students are working on restocking the inventory with one-of-a-kind pieces for some upcoming events. One of those events is The Warwick Great Cut, on March 2, 2024. The event is inspired by the national Great Cuts program, which helps children with hair loss by inviting people to have their long hair cut and donated for wigs.

“I joined the club because I really love art, and I also wanted a way to get to know some upperclassmen,” said freshman Sophie Quicke. “And I love the club’s focus on charity!”

As for creative inspiration, Empty Bowls students shared that they find inspiration from just about anywhere, from their surroundings to a quick Pinterest search.

“I love vintage color schemes,” explained Quicke. “I love old aesthetics and early 2000s work, so I use that a lot in my own designs.”

Arlo Moller, also a freshman, took ceramics in her first semester. She enjoyed the class so much, that she decided to join Empty Bowls. She said that she draws inspiration from bright color palettes.

Sisco is proud of the hard work this year’s Empty Bowl group has been putting in, and the help they’ve been able to extend to the local charities they support.