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Artists 'bowl-ing' for bucks
By SANDEE DAVIES, Times Staff Writer
Published September 9, 2007
When Stephanie and Jeff Schorr installed a kiln in the pottery studio of their Craftsman House Gallery and Cafe, their thoughts turned to the community of artists that would sell their wares in the new establishment. Stephanie was working on a focus group of the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, trying to identify the needs of the arts community. A professional potter, she came up with a fun way to share art, raise money for fellow craftsmen and have a good time doing it: The first "Pot Roast" was held in September 2005, just before the business opened. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, many New Orleans crafts people found careers threatened and turned to CERF for help. Creative ways of raising money became a priority. For the Pot Roast, Stephanie Schorr asks local potters to donate unfinished glazed bowls to fill the kiln. After firing, the bowls are displayed and raffled. Tickets are sold for $5 or five for $20. "We start with the small ones and work our way up to the larger bowls," she said. "People start buy-ing more tickets when they get to the larger bowls to increase their chances of winning." The purchase of a bowl comes with a free bowl of pot roast or vegetable stew. And if you don't get a bowl, you can buy the pot roast or vegetable stew for $5. A tumbler purchase comes with free beer, wine or iced tea. The regular cafe menu will not be served during the raffle, but beer, wine, a full coffee bar, smoothies and desserts will be for sale. "We usually close at 8 p.m., but last year everybody just hung around after the raffle till the donated keg of beer was gone," said Stephanie Schorr. The Schorrs spent two years renovating the 1918 bungalow in the Grand Central District. Although the building is on the historic registry, it had fallen into disrepair after years of neglect. They aimed to create an environment that "inspires the creative spirit in us all." The works of more than 250 American artisans are for sale in the gallery, and the carriage house has been transformed into the Schorrs' working studio in a garden art courtyard. The cafe is open daily and features healthy menus for lunch and dinner. FAST FACTS: If you go What: The third annual Craftsman House Pot Roast. Where: 4 p.m. Saturday, 2955 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Why: Raise money to assist artists in times of crisis. Info: Call 323-2787 or go to www.craftsmanhousegallery.com. About the Craft Emergency Relief Fund CERF responds to career-threatening emergencies of craft artists with assistance focused on helping them get back to work as soon as possible. It offers direct financial and educational assistance, including emergency relief, business development support and referrals. It also advocates for craft artists andbacks policies that support their careers. On the Web, visit www.craftemergency.org.
[Last modified September 8, 2007, 22:17:06]
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