By Ruth SOWBY

How about a hand-crafted ceramic bowl with chili for $16?! Over the two-day festival (Dec. 2-3), 640 bowls of chili with all the fixings were bought and gobbled down at the 19^th Annual Chili Bowl Festival hosted by the McGroarty Arts Center. Many of the bowls were unique – made by Arts Center students and donated to the Arts Center. Close to 700 visitors packed two levels of the McGroarty Center in Tujunga for shopping, snacking, sipping and schmoozing.  

A holiday art and craft faire was also a draw for customers who wanted to buy holiday gifts all in one place. Hand-made ceramic pieces were popular. Jewelry was also a favorite – especially that made by hand and original. Vendor-artist and Altadena resident Susan S. Braig pushed her designer drug jewelry and sculptures made of pill bottles.  

“My jewelry was inspired after paying $100 per pill for my chemotherapy anti-nausea pills. I wondered if they were actually precious gems,” said Braig. “Health care should not be a luxury item!”    

Weekend gross profits of $20,000 were projected, according to Arts Center Executive Director Kylie Ruan. The funds, raised from a percentage of vendor profits, 100 gallons of chili and corn bread, will be used to help fund art classes and art teachers.