‘Anagamania’ -5- 穴窯築き: Delayed Kiln Building 遅れた窯築き

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Over a several weeks, I was working on a new website and blog for the aid project for Japanese potters who were badly affected by the Eastern Japan Earthquake on the 11th of March. Nature often punishes human existence. I felt sorry about many people died and some are still missing. People who lost their home and families will have a long way to recover their normality. The Fukushima nuclear plant was the worst human error to add on to the natural disaster. I am worried when the potters who evacuated from the radiation-affected area could go back home and start working again.
The Japanese earthquake news has been disappeared from most of newspaper front-pages only after a few weeks.
I am not very charitable. However I didn’t want to see a good crafts tradition disappear from Japan. That is why I joined and spent most of my time making our website ‘ Kamataki Aid ‘ and ‘ Ganbare! kamataki ‘ blog.
I have been very busy contacting with Japanese potters and missed the timing of getting back to work on my own Anagama site.
After all, resumption of my kiln building has been slightly delayed and I accept as this is my life.

先月と今月は良い天気に恵まれながら、窯築きの機会を失ってしまいました。
この数週間、東日本大震災の被害を蒙った陶芸家さん達を支援しようと、英国で作陶している仲間と義援金を集める活動を始めたのです。何せ物作りは得意でも、金作りは苦手な集まりなので、何処から手を付けたものかも良く分からず、結局、ウェッブサイトとブログを立ち上げ、ウェッブ･ギャラリーを通して作品を売り、義援金を作ることに決まりました。そこで貧乏くじを引いたのが、グラフィックとウェッブデザインの経験のある私に役（厄）が回ってきました。それでも、素晴らしい日本の伝統工藝を消えさせる訳には行かないので、頑張るしかありません。 （Ｇ．Ｋ．）