Saturday 19 October 2013

Just a little HOT around the collar

                         
                                           If you are reading this post from far away like
                                                           India, UK, USA, Russia or China,
                                       as I know I have some readers from far and wide,
                                you may not have not heard this week has been full of fire
                                                      here in the Blue Mountains, NSW.

                             


The fires are a fair distance from us 
but the effect on the community is devastating.

To date in NSW
More than 200 properties have now
 been confirmed destroyed
following this week’s devastating fire emergency.
In total, 208 homes have been destroyed, 122 damaged.
I can't help but feel deeply for all those who have been both 
directly and indirectly impacted by this disaster.


                                             We keep hearing of people we know who have lost 
                                              everything and that will continue I am sure over the 
                                               next few weeks as everyone knows everyone 
                                                                 in the mountains.

While we are safe now, there is no way of knowing 
what will happen in the following hot days. So it is a time
 to be getting ready for the worst and hoping for the best.

I have found I have been using my art to take 
my mind off the fires and have got quite a bit done.
Strange but true.

I have a little project making a stoneware vinegar jar 
for my dear friend Beatrice in Auckland.
Not sure if I am getting it right yet.
What do you think Beatrice?

This one has two trees embracing in friendship across the skies.
It is a combination of hand built and thrown.
Hope it will work in the firing.



The hole is for  this lovely little wooden tap 
that I found on eBay and to my surprise 
when it arrived it had come from Romania.


Hope it all works in the end.
But if it doesn't I will try again :)




                                                                           I have also been making paper.
                                                      







                                                                                               
                                                                                             Iris paper  

                                          

                                                                     

                                                               Bleached banana

                                              


                                                                 
                                                                       Natural banana

                                          

                                           

                                               So tomorrow we will put a sprinkler system onto the roof.
                                              The next couple of days are supposed to be 
                                              hot and windy so the fires will haunt our thoughts.

                                                  If I was a well organised potter
                                                 I would have a whole lot of pots suitable for 
                                                 a pit fire all ready for firing.
                                                 Then I could have loaded up the pit in case a fire 
                                                 came this way and instead of losing everything 
                                                 I could have had some nice pots to return to.
                                                  But of course I haven't got any.

                                                    This week I will try to work on some stoneware platters 
                                                            and a batch of agapanthus paper
                                                     and I can also take my mind off things by looking 
                                                        at the many clay lovers posts at Mud Colony



Posted by at

11 comments:

  1. Anna19 October 2013 at 22:18

    the smoke around us was quite thick this morning, coming from the fires to the south of us. We have a bit of bush nearby that burnt in 1994/5 so we will be making some preparations just in case, the summer has just started.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sadhana Peterson20 October 2013 at 12:03

      Thank you Anna, all we can do is prepare our environment,minds and emotions...thank goodness for friends ,family and art :)

      Delete
  2. Anonymous20 October 2013 at 10:10

    I am reading your blog from Covington, Louisiana, USA. Having survived Hurricane Katrina, I must mention how lucky you are to have your art adventures to feed your soul. For others nearby who might not have a creative outlet, what can they do but sit and wring their hands, and to me that seems just awful. I too, play in the mud and I'll keep you on the prayer list as I work another good wad or two on the wheel and slab roller....Mickey Weitsen

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    Replies
    1. Sadhana Peterson20 October 2013 at 12:08

      How lovely of you to send your thoughts Mickey.
      Thankyou.
      Katrina must have been a frightening experience.
      Glad you survived such a frightening event.
      Oh YAY for clay :)

      Delete
  3. Adriana Christianson20 October 2013 at 13:03

    Hey Sadhana, you KNOW we are all thinking of you here down in Melbourne and keeping an EAGLE eye on the RFS Website. Dreadful .
    The sitting and waiting and getting on with things or not, I can't imagine what that is like.
    Your Vinegar jar is beautiful , theres that gum tree design from Margaret's studio view again that I love so much !!! Great photos .
    Sending barrows full of love xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sadhana Peterson20 October 2013 at 14:40

    Thank you Adriana xxx
    Glad you like the jar. :)
    Sitting tight but also preparing the car with boxes of important documents just in case.... :( .....
    Keep reminding myself it is all just stuff....
    It would be sad to lose some of the old family furniture and art...
    Still as long as we can survive to enjoy each other that is the main thing
    Thanks for your thoughts xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beatrice Carlson22 October 2013 at 07:16

    the Vinegar jar is far from my expectations...It is magnificent!!!
    ...and useful!!! it will be the most happy and cherished Vineagr making Jar!!!
    thank you so much Sadhana!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beatrice Carlson22 October 2013 at 07:18

    Wonderful!!! is it far from my expectations... It will make a very happy precious vinegar, Sadhana! love you Bxxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Caroline22 October 2013 at 21:53

    Thinking of you and everyone in the areas at risk. Keep safe.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous23 October 2013 at 10:00

    They are showing us here in the US that the fires are spreading what looks to be around the entire perimeter of Australia. Truly a horrible thing to see... we are sending our good thoughts for your health and safety. You can only do what you can do, and then turn it over. We hope you are spared. -- Mickey

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    Replies
    1. Sadhana Peterson24 October 2013 at 09:25

      Mickey, the US media may have got their information wrong about the locations of the fires in Oz at the moment. I have seen the map that has been shown in the US media and I don't know where they got that frombut the fires are not around the perimeter of the country. It is only NSW that is in trouble at the moment with around 73 fires burning.

      http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=683

      It is a devastating time for our community but natural disasters are like that and we have been lucky to have had so many lives spared this time.

      Delete

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