Fire Update
On October 10th the fire broke out in an instant - engulfing the Sonoma Valley and forcing Claudette Soulier and her pup Angel to flee their home. Unable to grab anything, Claudette headed straight to the stables setting lose her horse Allegra and mule April.
Claudette and Allegra ride with Angel at their heels in the Sonoma fields. 2016
For 4 days Claudette, her daughter Allison Caetano, and Angel were on the move. There was no power, hotels were full, and the few rooms available were unaffordable and wouldn't accept Angel. Each day the safe zone itself would shift. Every night they had to find a new place to sleep. Kenwood itself was still off limits, but the family wanted to stay nearby to be the first in to help the horses and see what was left of the home.
From the evacuation standpoints, a "safe" neighborhood Allison and Claudette fled to while waiting to return to Kenwood.
On the 12th Allegra and April were saved with the help of some brave neighbors who had snuck past the baricades. Don Maria Henderson and her friend Gregg brought the two to a temporary home to recover from the days they spent surounded by fire.
Claudette visiting Allegra and April in their temporary home 10.12.17
On the 17th Allison and Claudette were allowed back in to Cloud Ranch.
Claudette at her studio 05.2016
The studio now after the fire. Claudette surveys the damage with her kitten Midnight, who miraculously survived the worst of it all.
Claudette and a friend at the stables 07.2016
Claudette and what remains of her stables.
The studio and the stables are completely flattented .
In a miracle, Claudette's home is intact, smoke damaged, but still standing. The neighbors and her landlord were not as lucky. Even though the place still stands, it is not yet clear if Claudette will be able to live on the property.
The house, smoke damaged, but remarkably unscathed.
Claudette will need immediate help, securing a long-term transitionary home for Allegra and April. This needs to happen soon. If you know of any horse stables with room for one more please be in touch.
Claudette’s studio was home to her life's work as a metal artist, as well as Cloud Ranch Jewelry ( www.cloudranchjewelry.com ) a startup Claudette created with her daughter Allison.
Cloud Ranch Jewelry. Photo Credit Kristina Basket
Along with everything they invested in the business, Claudette's livelihood, her tools, and the hand carved wax molds of her life’s work were lost in the fire. Hundreds of Intricate carvings from the 60’s on, years of work and memories, irreplaceable, all gone forever.
Claudette hand-carving one of our eagle bands in wax. 2016
The finished Eagle Cuff
What remains of a sterling silver cuff now, after the fire.
Throughout the studio rivers of sterling silver are the remains of her life's work. For Claudette this is the greatest lost.
Claudette is lucky and grateful. She has her life, her animals and her family. But she will need help recovering. The studio was her livelihood. In the months to come she will need a lot of support getting a stable place to live for herself and the animals.
If you are in a place to help please share her story here, on facebook or on instagramwith #savecloudranch . Any and all donations go directly to Claudette to help her rebuild her life.
Claudette and Allegra in a Kenwood Field before the fire. 05.2016
A gofund me was created by friends of Cloud Ranch, to be mannaged by Claudette's daughter Allison Caetano, and the friends of Cloud Ranch Jewelry. Money will go directly to Claudette to help her recover during this time.
Follow her story at www.instagram.com/cloudranchjewelry and at www.facebook.com/cloudranchjewelry
Thank you and lots of love from Claudette, Allison, Angel, April and Allegra, and all of us in the Cloud Ranch Family.