Capturing the mood of Black Summer

Ritchey Sealy has fought bush fires for 28 years as a member of the Bodalla Brigade and a Deputy Group Captain with Eurobadalla Shire, however none have left an impact on him like the Black Summer fires of 2019/20.

“When we got hit with the Badja Forest Rd fire and the Potato Point fire, it was quite emotional being under so much stress and pressure,” says Ritchey.

“But when all the strike teams came into our area to help, to get that assistance was just fantastic, and that’s when you see the camaraderie. We got hit hard at that time – it was our area, it was personal.”

Ritchey is a well-established visual artist on the Far South Coast, where he has lived since 1988. He is mostly known for his depictions of South Coast sea and landscapes.

He began to paint the 2019/20 fires about a month after Black Summer, giving particular focus to depictions of dangers like gas cylinders, falling trees and ember explosions.

"The one with the two firefighters and gas cylinders references a bit of a joke among firefighters: "What did you save? We saved the mailbox!"" says Ritchey.

“They’re not just pictures, it’s about capturing a mood. After the 2019/20 fires, I could really see the subject matter,” says Ritchey. “It was basically three months of solid firefighting on very little sleep, trying to manage firegrounds and everyone else.

“It was a surreal, hostile environment with trees coming down everywhere and nature just exploding around us.

“After the fires, I settled into the painting – drawing on my subconscious, but also looking at reference material on social media or in Bush Fire Bulletins.

“Of course, when you’re out on the fireground, you don’t have time to stop and photograph things to look at later, you’re just doing the job.”

In April 2022, Ritchey shared the latest works in his ‘Fire’ series on Facebook with the NSW RFS community.

One of the works from Ritchey Sealey's 'Fire' series.

The posts teemed with comments and amassed hundreds of ‘likes’, as members from all over the state showed their appreciation.

“Thank you for honouring us in this way”, said one member, while another wrote, “takes you straight back, doesn’t it”.

Ritchey can be found selling his art – influenced by impressionism and the work of Australian war artists like Ivor Hele and John Longstaff – at his Moruya market stall every Saturday, weather permitting.

He also updates his Facebook page, ‘Ritchey Sealy Art Studio’, with regular news.