COLUMBUS, Ind. — Potter Ben Harpring overflows with equal amounts of creativity and kindness.
That explains his support of Saturday’s 23rd Annual Empty Bowls fundraiser as much as anything. The 26-year-old Columbus native is among a group of artists donating such ceramics for Saturday’s 23rd Annual Empty Bowls Donner Center drive-thru fundraiser that benefits area food pantries.
Harpring has donated 10 of his handmade creations for the gathering, which were sold to diners-to-be within a couple hours of being posted on social media days ago to promote the event.
“I can’t really put into words how much that (popularity) means to me,” said Harpring, who learned pottery a decade ago at Columbus East High School under now-retired teacher Jim Ponsford. “I think it shows how much people in this community care — and how much they care about helping those going through a tough time.”
Diners can choose a handmade bowl for their take-home meal — via pickup in the Donner parking lot at 739 22nd St. — at an overall cost of $25 for the item and their soup or chili. Regular, individual prices for five different soups or chilis is $10. Diners also can select desserts.
Harpring has donated bowls in the past, but has also attended the event to show his support. He said he feels a tremendous debt to Ponsford, who allowed Harpring extra time on East’s pottery wheels.
“He taught me a lot, and allowed me the freedom to come in even during my lunch hour (nearly every day) of my senior year,” Harpring said. “He pushed me and inspired me. I don’t know that he’s gotten enough credit.”
In fact, the former student-athlete remembers being driven toward excellence from the beginning of his pottery efforts.
“I think that, when I was a teenager, maybe because I was always a sports guy, there was that competitive side of me that said that I didn’t want to be just good; I wanted to somehow try to be the best at this,” Harpring said. “There was that mentality. I think that pushed me at the beginning.
“But then, just the genuine and pure love of it started to kick in.”
Richard Boyce, among the event’s volunteer coordinators, mentioned that organizers worked a little harder this year to publicize the handmade bowls — and sell them beforehand since people won’t be able to look over choices amid a drive-thru format.
“There has been a tremendous response,” Boyce said, extending praise to artists for their contributions to the cause. “In the past, we didn’t engage with people in quite the same way to sell them beforehand.”
Other potters such as Columbus East High School’s Eve Blair, a student of 2-D art teacher Alison Kocur, are also helping shape the weekend event. Blair has made 20 creations as part of her senior project.
“I am so excited now that they are finally complete,” Blair said.
Harpring mentioned that his parents, Joe and Lisa Harpring, greatly influenced his views on helping the struggling and others in general — and also giving his time and talent for the sake of others.
“They are incredible role models, so it really has kind of been second nature (to help others),” he said. “Helping is what makes me feel good. … And one of the reasons that this community is so special is that people do generally look out for one another.”
The potter, whose work has sold throughout the Midwest and elsewhere ,enjoys colorful glazes the best. A few of his donated bowls reflect that, with bright greens and blues blending to look like crashing waves or, as some have described, the Aurora Borealis.
“I also like the brighter blues,” he said, adding that some element of color-blindness keeps him guessing on some hues.
He still fondly remembers his early days of seeing his work fresh from firing in the school art room.
“Back then,” he said, “we would call that Christmas Day.”
His bowl buyers might well feel that way even now.
