KENNESAW, Ga. | Nov 15, 2024

Attend an Empty Bowls Silent Auction, a Holiday Market, and a Zine Fest of small batch comics

Stuck trying to find that perfect gift for the holidays? Look no further than Kennesaw State University’s School of Art and Design. Choose from three opportunities to cross off your gift list with handcrafted items. 

First, pick up some beautiful, hand-thrown pottery lovingly made by School of Art and Design students and alumni at the Empty Bowls fundraiser on Nov. 21 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Carmichael Student Center University Rooms on the Kennesaw campus. Enjoy a cup of homemade soup, made fresh by KSU University Dining from products donated by the KSU's Food Forest Farm at the KSU Field Station. Next, purchase one-of-a-kind handmade bowls at the silent auction. This year, no ticket is required to attend, but donations are welcomed. The 9th Annual Empty Bowls helps to raise awareness of student homelessness and food insecurities. Proceeds from donations will directly benefit Campus Awareness, Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Services to provide access to food, temporary housing, and other supporting services. Attending this heartwarming event may make this upcoming Thanksgiving even more special.

Right after Thanksgiving, make plans to shop ‘til you drop at the popular Holiday Artist Market on Friday, Dec. 6 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Visual Arts Building on the Kennesaw campus. Free and open to the public, the Holiday Artist Market will feature a wide array of handcrafted items available for purchase, all made by students. (Hint: get there early if last year’s turnout was any indication!) Check out the gallery below for a sampling of items. 

This unique marketplace offers art lovers the opportunity to chat with students about their work while buying some great holiday gifts, and while directly supporting the artists. Shoppers will find something for almost every budget, from soaps to small paintings. Artwork for sale includes pottery, art prints, stickers, plushies, and comics. There will also be tote bags, jewelry, 3D prints, digital prints, paintings, and illustrations from about 50 artists and at least three art clubs. The Holiday Artist Market is supported by both the School of Art and Design and the Spring Arts Festival Committee.  

“The students participating in this year's Holiday Artist Market are an exceptionally talented group of artists, ranging from freshmen to seniors, and even recently graduated alumni. The wide range of artwork made by our students will offer something special for everyone while directly supporting these young artists,” says Mary-Kathryn Lopez, who has helped organize the Holiday Market alongside her job as SOAAD’s Marketing and Communications Specialist.

Finally, fans of comics will want to attend the 2024 Zine Fest. Students will be selling their zines (self-published small batch comics), stickers, buttons and other customized merchandise. The merchandise will be available on Dec. 7 from noon to 4 p.m. at Dr. No’s Comic Book and Super Game Store, 3372 Canton Road, #104, in Marietta.

The School of Art and Design, the largest unit in the College of the Arts, is comprised of over 1,200 vibrant, creative, and talented art students. These students will develop into professional art educators, art historians, studio artists, design artists and animators. Learn more about the  School of Art and Design and the Zuckerman Museum of Art. 

--Kathie Beckett