Empty Plates Projects Serves Community Through Student Visual Art Creations

Visual arts students preschool through grade 12 made more than 200 ceramic plates, which were used to serve the local community during St. Margaret’s annual Empty Plates event last week in the Johnson Wallis Visual Arts Center.

Upper School 3D arts students made plates in class, and other students used tutorial time to work on their plates. In addition, Upper School students also served as mentors to help Preschool students make plates for the event. Lower School grade 4 students also created plates to donate during their art class.

“To put a service component to student artwork is very rewarding, and the students were excited to use their creativity as a vehicle to help others,” Visual Arts Chair Jesse Standlea said.

The plates were sold for $20 at the Empty Plates event. Attendees could then fill their purchased plate with food catered from local restaurants and enjoy a dinner alongside fellow Tartans. All funds raised at Empty Plates were donated to Father Serra’s Pantry to help fight hunger in Orange County.

In addition to the student plates, “celebrity” plates created by school leaders and visual arts faculty were auctioned off, including one made by Head of School Will Moseley.