On April 5, the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale hosted its annual Chili Bowl Fest fundraiser. This event is over 25 years-old and provides a space for community members to appreciate and purchase ceramics and chili from around the Hudson Valley.
According to the workshop’s website, at this year’s event, “over 500 beautiful bowls hand-crafted by local artists” were available for attendees to choose from.
All proceeds from the fundraiser are being used to support the workshop’s artistic programming. Once an attendee bought a bowl, or simply a ticket, they could enjoy chili donated by various local restaurants. The Library Band played live music alongside a face painting station provided for children attending the event.
The Women’s Studio Workshop was founded in 1974 to provide a “vision of society where women’s visual art is integral to the cultural mainstream and permanently recorded in history,” according to their website. Over the years, they have continued to “provide professional opportunities for artists at various stages of their careers.” The workshop also promotes programs related to visual arts, such as the Chili Bowl Fest fundraiser.
The workshop has meant a great deal to community members. Helen Stubblefield, a fundraiser volunteer and ceramics painter, said that “women are underserved in the arts.” She appreciated that there is an organization such as this one that “exists to give grants to women artists and provide a community.”
“Artists tend to be a little insular,” Stubblefield said. But according to her, the Chili Bowl Fest provides a welcoming space.
“The chili bowl event is one of the only events that really draws the whole community. It’s part open house and is welcoming to local people. You don’t have to attend a slide night to appreciate a bowl of chili.”
The welcoming atmosphere felt apparent as people of all ages filled the room. One did not have to be an artist to appreciate the creativity of the ceramics or the taste of the chili. There were many volunteers around the room. Some — like Stubblefield — had painted a few of the ceramics, while others just valued the workshop and wanted to help out.
All volunteers showed a willingness to talk to attendees, making sure people felt welcome at the event while sharing their passion for the workshop.
Volunteer and alum Sophia Bon said they found the workshop “inspiring to think about.” Having just graduated from the printmaking program at SUNY New Paltz, they found it interesting that the “people who founded [the workshop] were a couple of women who studied printmaking at New Paltz” as well. According to Bon, the founders are now making “pretty accessible and well-known book arts.”
“It’s just nice to have somewhere that is so welcoming and niche,” said Bon. “Not a lot of people know exactly what you mean when you want to talk about book arts … it’s nice to have such a national and maybe even international hub for it.”
Like Stubblefield, Bon said the Chili Bowl event is a highlight. “It’s nice to be in a creative intergenerational space,” they said.
“There’s babies and elders and everything in between, and everyone’s kind of dancing. That’s community,” Bon said.
While the atmosphere was welcoming and inclusive, the ceramics and the chili were the major draws of the event.
When it came to ceramics, attendees could browse hundreds of pieces ranging in size, price and design. Smaller pieces were priced beginning at $10, and as the pieces grew, the price grew with them, with a few being just over $50.
Each piece was different. Hand-painted by artists from the area, they all had a distinct design or color. No two ceramics were the same, ensuring that attendees could find the work that was just right for them.
When it came to chili, there was a wealth of options. Once attendees bought their ceramics, they could buy beef, turkey or vegetarian chili. Attendees had the choice of eating their chili out of a standard paper bowl or out of their newly purchased pottery — a fun option for those looking to use it right away. A number of local restaurants and businesses donated chili, including Karma Road, McGuillicuddy’s and Mohonk Mountain House.
With an abundance of attendees this year, the Women’s Studio Workshop’s Chili Bowl Fest was a success and will hopefully continue in the years to come.
“It’s such a party,” Stubblefield said.
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