I was first introduced to the world of pottery by Natchez resident Tom Hughes.

Tom moves through the world quietly. Not one to call attention to himself, Tom works his magic in the world of pottery and in Natchez with humility.

Despite his quiet exterior, Tom’s interior — his spirit — is anything but quiet. Meeting Tom leaves a lasting impression. It did for me.

When I met Tom in 2001 for a photo story about his craft, Tom immediately caught my attention with his words.

“Humans are like pottery,” he said as he slowly, methodically molded balls of clay into medium-sized bowls.

“We are earthen vessels,” he said.

Watching any artist take a blank material and turn it into something beautiful can be a moving experience. Those two days of photographing Tom in his studio were truly mesmerizing and motivating.

“Thrown pots are like people. Each one has a different personality,” Tom said.

One of the first things I recognized in Hughes was his abiding faith in God.

Since those first days, I have had the pleasure of learning more about Tom. Whether making crosses out of old nails or communion sets for churches, volunteering in prisons or making mission trips to Kenya, Tom and his wife Ann Julia keep their lives centered in their service to God.

In fact, I can still remember Tom saying these words back in 2001: “Like pottery, we are all vessels waiting to be filled — filled with the Holy Spirit.”

For me the most powerful parts of that phrase are the words “waiting to be filled.”

Emptiness is not something our world embraces. Often we hear the phrase, “Is your glass half-empty or half full?”

Almost automatically, people assume that half-empty is something to be avoided.

We want full lives, don’t we? We want closets full of clothes, stomachs filled with food and wallets overflowing with money.

Some days I look around my life crammed with too much to do and too much stuff and still complain that I still don’t have enough.

Then I think about Tom’s observation that in emptying our lives we provide the wonderful opportunity to be filled with something greater than ourselves. In emptiness there is great possibility.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Feb. 8, the artists of Natchez Clay will be hosting their Empty Bowls fundraiser to benefit the Natchez Stewpot.

For the past few months, artists have been busy making beautiful bowls as part of the event. As one of the beginning potters in this group, I have had the chance to add a few pieces to this event.

Ticketholders on the day of the event can drop by the studio on Madison Street, pick out a bowl and fill it with gumbo for $25.

Tickets can be purchased at the Natchez Coffee Company, Natchez Clay or by calling Amanda Jeansonne at 601-446-9549.

All of the money from the tickets sold will be given to the Natchez Stewpot to help them provide food to those in need.

The best part of the event is that after filling their stomachs with delicious food, ticketholders may then take the bowls home with them to fill with whatever food or items they wish.

Or if they like, they can leave them empty, waiting to be filled.

Ben Hillyer is the Web editor of the Natchez Democrat. He can reached at 601-445-3540 or by e-mail at ben.hillyer@natchezdemocrat.com