Out & About: Good mix of ingredients make for a tasty Art on Tap

Was it a coincidence or masterful planning?

The Jan. 10 Art on Tap happy hour at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art featured a “to die for” cream of mushroom soup from Elegant Catering, the featured organization was Empty Bowl and the Heavenly Biscuits provided the music.

Knowing the museum staff, we’ll go with the second option. Either way, it was a recipe for a successful event.

Empty Bowl is a nationwide movement that raises money and awareness for the fight against hunger. Its signature event is a simple soup and bread meal that usually takes place in March, featuring handcrafted pottery bowls made by school groups, businesses, organizations and individuals.

Presiding over a table of colorful bowls at the Greensburg museum were Westmoreland County Empty Bowl co-chair Crystal Szogi and volunteer Brenda Christeleit, a Penn Trafford School District art teacher. Attendees could take a bowl or two home for a requested donation of $5 each.

Szogi said it’s doubtful that there will be an Empty Bowl event in the county this year because the co-chairs have other pressing personal commitments — that is, unless other volunteers can step into the gap. Anyone who is interested can find information at emptybowlwestmoreland.com.

Art on Tap also served as a reception for “Head & Heart,” an exhibition of mixed-media paintings by Kim McAninch featured Dec. 13-Jan. 12 in The Westmoreland’s Robertshaw Gallery.

Guests had the opportunity to compete for prizes in an art scavenger hunt and a raffle sponsored by the Committee for The Westmoreland.

Seen: Endy Reindl, Stuart and Nora Thompson, Jim and Karen O’Connor, Gay Wasserman, Greg Zambano, Pete Campolongo, Toni Antonucci, Barbara Ferrier, Kathy Longacre, John and Amy Faith, Linda Hammers, Pat Maloney, Shirleah Kelly, Edward Bostedo, Cory Stinedurf, Matthew Miller, Andrew Svolos, Susan Kelly, Bill Cullen, Mike Evans and Marianne Kennedy-Evans.