IT’S

BY NORA HESTON TARTE

For ten years, Souper Supper has been a staple event in Stockton. Sponsored by Art Expressions of San Joaquin, a nonprofit aimed at making art accessible to the community and celebrating local artists, the beloved event is emerging from a two-year hiatus.

Last held in February 2020, mere weeks before the pandemic shutdown, Ana Vera, president of the board of directors for Art Expressions, is thrilled to get the event back on the calendar. But this year’s celebration is bittersweet. What should be a purely joyous occasion, has been tinged with sadness after the passing of Chris Thompson, the local artist who supplied the hand-crafted bowls for the event over the last six years. Unfortunately, Chris died in a car accident in

2022, but not before he created 200 bowls for the event.

The remainder of the bowls—Ana says they decorate and fire about 350 bowls each year—were created by Tara Heinzen, a previously local artist who was involved in Art Expressions before she moved away.

Artists and members of the board come in and paint the bowls however they choose, ensuring no two are the same. Then, Chris fires them, finishing the process. This makes the bowls microwave safe, a rarity with many place settings.

The bowls, which are purchased with tickets to the event, are kept by the recipient, and many who attend each year, such as Ana herself, end up with colorful and diverse collections. For those who are not familiar, the bowls are used to house soups from 12 local chefs, tasted throughout the day on February 17. There is also a silent auction, a raffle, dessert, wine, and other refreshments.

The funds from Souper Supper, held at the Stockton Hilton, support several efforts throughout the year. “We turn around and we use those funds to do free art classes at the public libraries,” Ana says. The supplies are purchased and left for kids to keep. They also offer classes at the Children’s Museum of Stockton, fund exhibits, and pay for Wednesday night drawing classes hosted at The Catalyst.