Fabulous Frolics & Finds

Art comes in many forms: Festivals, photography, handbags and chocolate galore

This month's edition of Fabulous Frolics, Finds and Fundraisers is dedicated to all things art. I have an obsession with art, and am always intrigued by the various ways people transform their vision of art into a reality. Whether it is 600 pounds of chocolate transformed into sculptures or whimsical painting on handbags, art is truly in the eye of the beholder. And this month there is much to behold.

Bayou City Art Festival Spring Show

The Bayou City Art Festival spring show will take place Friday through Sunday at Memorial Park. I am especially excited for this year’s show because Eco-Artist Grant Manier will be featured as one of the emerging talents. The show draws artists from across the nation and no matter what type of art you are into there will certainly be something for every taste and collection.

The Bayou City Art Festivals, produced by the nonprofit Art Colony Association, have raised $2.6 million benefiting local arts and service organizations, as well as parks throughout the Greater Houston area over the past 40 years. For any real art lover, this show is an absolute must.

Toby Kamps' photography

Toby Kamps, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Menil Collection, has taken his passion for photography to a new level. His photographic images are currently on display at Front Gallery. Kamps' works single out chance moments from his explorations near and far.

With his show 99 Cent Dreams, Kamps tries on the role of the artist and concludes this kind of exposure is only fair. As he puts himself in this position, he widens his perspective as a curator. His quirky art reflects his quirky sense of style.

Hilton Americas- Houston's new pastry chef

The Hilton Americas-Houston has added certified pastry chef Mahesh Prabath Weerasinghe to its award-winning culinary team. "Chef Mahesh, trained under one of only 17 master chefs in the U.S., brings with him advanced culinary skills in chocolate and sugar artistry," said Hilton Americas-Houston executive chef Ruffy Sulaiman. "His strong creative drive and true passion for working with food in an artistic manner have been delighting guests internationally. We are fortunate to now have him creating confectionery art for our guests in Houston."

His biggest venture right out of the gate was hand-sculpting 585 pounds of dark chocolate into larger-than-life display featuring a 225-pound chocolate cowboy standing over 7 feet tall and a 120-pound chocolate cactus, plus chocolate calf, wagon wheels, haystack, ropes and fence. This delectable chocolate Wild West vignette was displayed in the main lobby rotunda of the Hilton Americas-Houston during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Hanh Tran's handbags

Hanh Tran is taking the fashion world by storm with her innovative and very cool handbags. Heavy, sweeping, broad strokes of thick oil paint that create a three-dimensional effect are trademarks of Hanh's collections and these bags are no exception.

The bags are light and whimsical and come in a variety of colors. Each bag is an original work of personal, wearable art. A portion of proceeds from the sale of every bag is given back to the local charitable and arts community.

Allan Rodewald's acrylic collection

Allan Rodewald has been creating gorgeous pieces of abstract art since he was in his teens. His collection of pieces on acrylic are the hallmark of his new series.

The pieces can be viewed from both sides when placed on a credenza or table, or can be hung from walls or windows to serve as a sort of light prism. I love this particular series and especially the cool way the art takes on new forms depending on which side you are looking at.

When visiting his home/studio, you will also get to see another interesting thing about Allan; his amazing sense of personal style. The place is decorated in true artist style with the piece de resistance being his killer swimming pool, which is in the shape of an artist's palette.

Chef Mahesh's delectable chocolate Wild West vignette, open to the public, is on display in the main lobby rotunda of the Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar, throughout the Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Deborah Elias, My Favorite Things, March 2013, chocolate cowboy, Wild West vignette

Courtesy photo

Chef Mahesh's delectable chocolate Wild West vignette, open to the public, is on display in the main lobby rotunda of the Hilton Americas-Houston, 1600 Lamar, throughout the Livestock Show and Rodeo.

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bowled over

Houston artist dishes on Food Bank fundraiser happening this weekend

Picture of several artists at a table with a bunch of handmade ceramic bowls.

Photo courtesy Paula Murphy

Ceramics professor Cori Cryer and her students from Lone Star College Kingwood and the bowls they donated to the 20th Empty Bowls fundraiser

On Saturday, May 16, shoppers have an opportunity to feed those in need by purchasing unique, handcrafted items. The 20th Empty Bowls event takes place at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards from 10 am to 3 pm. A preview party takes place on Friday, May 15 from 6-8 pm (buy tickets here).

The fundraiser is a collaboration between Houston-area ceramists, woodturners, and artists working in all media and Silver Street Studios.

Shoppers can purchase one-of-a-kind bowls for $25 each (larger bowls are priced accordingly). A simple lunch from Salata, a sweet treat from Ben & Jerry’s, and iced coffee from Katz Coffee is served until it runs out. Every dollar of the purchases goes to the Houston Food Bank, which estimates that for every dollar donated, it’s able to provide three meals to Houstonians in need. Since its inception, Empty Bowls Houston has raised $1,208,959 for the Houston Food Bank, which equates to more than 3.6 million meals.

The event also includes live music and art demos. More than 2,000 bowls will be available for purchase, donated by area artists.

Empty Bowls began as a grassroots effort started many years ago at a high school in Michigan and is now held all over the world. Nearly everything for Empty Bowls events, from the food served to the venues hosting events and the bowls for sale are donated.

Cori Cryer, a professor of ceramics at Lone Star College Kingwood, is one of those who, along with her students, donated bowls for the fundraiser. She’s been involved with the effort for all of its 20 years in Houston, and before that in other cities.

“When I started donating, I didn't have a whole lot of money,” Cryer tells CultureMap. “I was a graduate student, and so this was a way for me to give back to the local community. And I think my students today kind of recognize that same feel. You know, they may not have money to send a check off to someone, [but this is] an easy way for them to be able to contribute to the community.”

Cryer teaches Ceramics I and Ceramics II to a variety of dual-credit high school students, college students, and continuing education students. Those in her Ceramics II classes are required to create five bowls to donate to Empty Bowls. But her students in her introductory class often end up donating as well. This year, she and her students provided approximately 150 bowls for the event.

Cryer said that the style of bowls for sale range from something as small as a condiment bowl to much larger serving bowls As each bowl is an individual work, they represent a variety of styles and themes. One of her students this year designed a glazed, ceramic leaf-shaped bowl with ceramic insects on it.

“There's a ladybug and a caterpillar and a spider,” she says, each created out of clay and positioned around the bowl.

Cryer loves seeing how the artists use their imaginations and abilities.

“Most of my students do throw their bowls on the pottery wheel, but that's not required,” she says. “They can hand-build them. It’s completely up to them what kind of construction technique they use.”

Cryer loves knowing that this event is a way for students to see that their artistic efforts can have lasting impact on the community around them. In addition to being able to support the Houston Food Bank, the bowls her class donates, she knows, take on special meaning for those who purchase them.

“I tell my students there is a pot for every person and a person for every pot,” she says.

In fact, one of her personal favorite bowls is one she purchased from an Empty Bowls sale.

“It's a very small bowl, maybe like three inches in diameter, and two inches tall, and it's a little pink pig that I think an elementary student made,” she said. “He has no tail, and he has no ears, but he has a snout, and it is definitely a pig. And I love that little bowl. I have it sitting on my desk at home.”

Cryer knows shoppers attending the Empty Bowls sale will find similar, soon-to-be-beloved items.

The Saturday event is free. Those wishing to attend the preview party on Friday, May 15 from 6-8 pm, which offers light bites, beer and wine, and the first chance to purchase bowls, can purchase a $50 ticket online. In addition, Archway Gallery is hosting an exhibition of 30 one-of-a-kind bowls that can be purchased as part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser. The exhibit runs through May 30.