Life's ups and downs

It has been a sobering week for me.  NSW Blue Mountains are just to my West about an hours drive and a large part of them were subject to bush fires this week and although no longer threatening houses the fires are still burning.  See this link for more details: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-25/firefighters-in-control-as-blue-mountains-bushfire-threat-eases/5044770

We had some unusually hot windy days for October resulting in total fire bans but the fires were already a problem.  While my friend Sadhana was being very calm about it all,  it must have been of great concern to have to pack precious things ready to flee and to prepare to stay if possible.  It is good to stay if you are fit and have a good place to shelter as the fire storm passes over.  It is often the embers from after the fire has passed that ignite the homes so if you can stay safe you can then get out and extinguish the embers before the house starts to burn.

My husband and I live close to a bush reserve and our home was singed by a bushfire in that reserve.  This was in 1994 and it was only quick action by a Rural Fire Service team and the neighbours that saved this house.  We moved in 4 months later with the damage still to be repaired as the owners selling the place obviously just wanted out.  The RFS were from out of the area and took a wrong turn.  They were heading for the other side of the main road where 100 homes were lost but they saved this street and stopped the fire spreading to surrounding streets behind us or the count would have been much higher.

this image was taken from our verandah yesterday showing how the smoke still in the air gave an eery red glow to the setting sun.

The other event near us was the removal of 3 huge gum trees from another neighbours back yard.  These trees must have become stressed during the drought allowing them to be infested with termites and borers.  A large branch fell and narrowly missed my neighbour.  The Tree Preservation Officer from the council agreed that they all had to be removed and not just lopped.  Apparently one large branch over hanging our roof was only just hanging on as it was hollowed out inside.  Still distressing for both our neighbour and ourselves...  many times the Little Ravens have nested in those trees.  I'm sure I heard them fly over and moan at the loss the day after they were taken down.

this is the last of them about to come down.  The tree loppers needed a large cherry picker to get to them.  It has changed our landscape however our homes are now safer.

this is how I felt while all this was going on...

and this will be me when the fires are out and our neighbour grows her replacement trees

these Christmas angels are in a bisque firing and I hope to glaze them tomorrow.
Take care, stay safe if you are in the bush this summer... and some good rain would be nice :)

Upcycling and a stall on Friday

On Friday 18th October, I , along with two other Port Hacking Potters will be having a stall in the foyer of Sutherland hospital on the Kingsway at Caringbah.

We will be selling some of our own work but also selling the Left Overs from the Empty Bowls project we were involved with a few weeks ago.
It was very successful - see here: Port Hacking Potters Empty Bowls Project
or on Facebook : Empty Bowls Project

I had some recent pieces that had a few problems but were still OK so I decided to Up-cycle them..

They should find a new home - we will be there from 9.30am to 3pm.

Making a Load

I am in the process of making enough pots to load a kiln on my own. It is a fairly large kiln and I have usually shared it with others in the past.
As I fire to 1280C for my porcelain and the stoneware I use can also go that high I am making a mix of items with both clays.

I have some jugs, some bowls, some Christmas tree hangers, some tea light holders and a couple of teapots so far.  I hope to have some slip cast platters too..

trying out the new Graffito paper on leatherhard clay ..

these are textured with wall paper and then the prints added

I tried a new coloured porcelain casting slip..

Made it too thin and took it apart too soon -  will try a single piece mold next time.

So a bit of decoration coming up too...

Remember I have a Facebook page: Anna's Ceramics

and check out the other studio potters posts on Mud Colony blog who also have a Fb group of the same name.Hope you join us :^)

Wordless Wednesday

Jugs revisited

I 'm revisiting jugs today

I made this one while a student - a bit of sloppy glaze on glaze work there too :(

this afternoon I threw a couple of different sizes and hope to get back to trim and put handles on tomorrow

and sometimes a ball of clay just wants to be different - well it happens to me :^)

Remember to check out Mud Colony or drop by my Facebook page - I had a give away there this week.  I hope the brooches arrive safely at their new owners places.

morning walk bonus plus Facebook

This morning I went for a walk and on the way home could not resist picking these nasturtium flowers plus the fluffy one - they are garden escapees on the edge of a reserve so I felt OK about picking them.

 I had intended selling this vase on my next stall but it was just the right size and I can always make another one.  It is porcelain with black slip.

I'll be linking over to Mud Colony and you also might like to know I am having a give away on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AnnasCeramics
Enjoy the rest of your weekend :^)

At the Cronulla Spring Fair

Over the weekend I took part in the Cronulla School of Arts open days as part of the Cronulla Spring Fair.
It was a big event with the main street closed off, stalls all the way around both sides of the street, music, slides and rides and a vintage car display.

The Cronulla School of Arts is one of the few that is still owned and operated by the members and not taken over by the local council.. quite a feat in this day and age.

The Port Hacking Potters are one of the longest standing groups in the collection of craft groups that make up the School of Arts.  There is also a very active theatre group which puts on some great shows during the year.  It was their 50th anniversary this year and they were giving tours of 'back stage'.

As you can see from these historical photos, the School of Arts has been going a lot longer than 50yrs.
Groups with displays included the Spinners and Weavers:

Inke and friend sat in the window and drew interested onlookers

the Lace Makers had some activities for the young ones

some beautiful patchwork on display 

and then there were a few potters with work for sale...
we didn't sell much but it was mainly about letting people know we are part of the activities...

From bowls to bottles

As my followers will know, I have made lots of bowls this year for the Empty Bowls project (which by the way raised almost $8000).

Now that that is finished I have started on bottles :^)

that one on the right is better than it looks in the photo.

I'm thinking the two on the left will be glaze decoration while the one on the right will be a combination of my usual underglaze and print...  maybe some yellow and black??

Saturday and Sunday I'll be over at the Port Hacking Potters sale in the Cronulla School of Arts with a couple of other members of the Group.  Call by and say hi if you are over that way..  check their blog for more detail here: http://www.porthackingpotters.blogspot.com.au/

over to Mud Colony now to see what others are up to..

Tadpole rescue

those of you who are also my Facebook friends will remember I was trying to rescue tadpoles this week.

It came about as I had decided to relocate my water lily plants from a fibreglass pond in a garden, to a large pot.  As my husband was the one who drained the water into plastic tubs I was unaware of the tadpoles until he told me there were wiggley things in the bottom of the old pond.

site of old pond

On investigation I discovered the wiggly things were tadpoles and quite large ones too.  We mostly have little grass frogs nearby and in the 10 years that pond had been there this is the first time there have been tadpoles.

tub full of water lily plant just shooting after winter nap

This pot was part of a water feature with the old pond, now full of water I am hoping the Nandina and the red leafed plant (name of which escapes me just now), will start to get roots so I can replant them in the garden.
the pot was thrown in two parts, joined and decorated with terra sigulata slip before being pit fired.

Now my concern for the tadpoles is that in the old pond they could have just hopped off into the garden once they had turned into frogs.  Not so easy from a large pot.

There normal habitat outside my fence has dried up in the last month so no chance to return them to the wild at this stage.  The best I can do is give them a stick to climb up and hope for the best.

the water lily pot is a commercial one and probably imported but was purchased from an Australian company.  I'll have to top up the water slowly so the leaves can grow and float on top.

Not much on my own clay work this week so hop (pardon the pun) over to Mud Colony and see what other potters have been up to...

successful Empty Bowls fund raiser

Yesterday was THE day of the Empty Bowls event I have been helping the Port Hacking Potters, students at Hazelhurst and the Ceramic Design Studio work towards for the last 8mths or more.

The organizer did a tremedous job and teaming up with the local Shire Lioness Club meant we had some mentoring along the way though there were some differences in philosophy here and there it all came together and was a success on so many levels.

The PHPG have gained some new members, the students at Hazelhurst have seen the value of their work in clay and best of all the charity that  were designated as the recipent of the funds raised will benefit both financially and through a higher profile in our community.  Win Win Win...

an early in the day pic - the gaps between bowls grew as the day went on

view of the students work being rearranged by our volunteers - Silent Auction in the middle...

amazing what can happen when people are prepared to give of themselves and their skills...

and a highlight of my day was meeting up with Tanya of Hop'n Frog Pottery who generously gave 4 pieces of work to the Silent Auction.

here we are  :^)

and here is the work that Tanya donated, aren't they beautiful and so professionally finished! They even come with their own numbered and signed card!!  That black incense burner with the cute little ladybird bugs was won by me in the Silent Auction and now sits happily in my home.

we weren't able to have a pottery wheel in the hall so I put together this display

 

 

I'll be posting this over on Mud Colony and to my Facebook page too...