Step 1: Buy a bowl.
Step 2: Fill with noodles.
Step 3: Eat.
Donkey Mill Art Center (DMAC) proudly presents its 10th Annual Cool Fusion: Festival of 1,000 Bowls, a celebration of ceramic, musical, and culinary arts in the courtyard at Keauhou Shopping Center on Saturday. A dizzying array of ceramics will be on display so guests can shop for a handmade bowl, and fill it with savory cold noodles for a refreshing lunch.
Each year, renowned ceramists from across the Big Island gather to create uniquely beautiful bowls to raise funds for the Mill. These skilled artists volunteer their time to create 1,000 hand-crafted stoneware bowls throughout the summer months. The hand of the maker is present in each bowl, evident in their signature styles — from a notch in the foot to textural or painted patterns on the surface — and is recognized by loyal fans who collect bowls from each year’s festival. Additional bowls and many other pieces of ceramic art, including cups, vases, and large bowls, will also be available for as little as $10 each.
“I’m deeply inspired by the volunteers who create 1,000 bowls every year. It’s a real labor of love,” DMAC’s Ceramics Program Director, Claire Seastone said. “The satisfaction and joy that we experience as artists when we come together and work toward a common goal is transferred to the person who picks a bowl out of the bunch, takes it home, and enjoys it for years to come. Mostly, I love the way it brings people together … last year, over 400 in just a few hours!”
Live entertainment on the Keauhou Shopping Center courtyard stage will be coordinated by Andrea Lindborg and Luke Clebsch. Innovations Public Charter School students will share their music and dance from school resource groups. BIMA (Big Island Music Academy), featuring Kona’s young musicians, will have their first public appearance. And The Latin Jazz Connection will round out our event by bringing a four-piece band to the stage.
This year DMAC welcomes the opportunity to partner with Gypsea Gelato. Special gelato bowls will be created by ceramic artists and available for purchase for $15, which includes a serving of homemade Gypsea Gelato or sorbet.
The festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $20 pre-sale, and $25 at the event ($15 for kids).
Info: DMAC at (808) 322-3362 or visit donkeymillartcenter.org. ■