During Hurricane Helene, which devastated 80% of the popular River Arts District in Asheville, North Carolina, fine artists Michele Mitchell and Jim Ostlund lost 10 paintings. The creative partners said the hurricane completely wrecked their studio. Hurricane Helene took aim at North Carolina in late September, causing more than 100 deaths in the state.
Mitchell and Ostlund have lived in Asheville since the early aughts, before the River Arts District (North Carolina’s premier creative hub) even had a name. Now, they’re in the process of rebuilding the life they once knew.
“We’re working at home — the both of us — but we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Mitchell said. “You know when something like that happens, it takes time before you can reassess. Right now, we’re still dealing with trees on the house. It was a huge impact. We’ve been mostly concentrating on painting outside until we can get settled into another studio.”
Mitchell and Ostlund are among the more than 30 artists whose work will be displayed at “Love Asheville from Afar,” a new pop-up gallery supporting Asheville artists hit by the hurricane. The 3,600-square-foot gallery is located at Ponce City Market (two doors down from Sweetgreen). It opened Thursday night and will run until Dec. 29.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
“Love Asheville from Afar” celebrates the resiliency and varied creative expressions of the River Arts District. Works include a strong collection of paintings, jewelry and crafts. The opening night also featured local musicians from Asheville. All proceeds go to the artists. The gallery is a collaboration between River Arts District Artists Foundation, the Radical and Explore Asheville.
“The southern part of the district has been washed away, and will probably take a year or so to open back up, so we really wanted to be able to have something for our artists,” said Jeffrey Burroughs, president of River Arts District Artists, at the event. “This is the big season for them. This is the time where we make enough money to get through the slow winter months. This is my first time out of Asheville since the hurricane.”
Burroughs makes jewelry and calls Atlanta the “cute cousin” of Asheville, saying it’s the perfect city to ignite Asheville’s comeback.
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Colton Dion is another artist featured in “Love Asheville from Afar.” The hurricane impacted the sculptor and painter so much that he started painting the flood while it was happening and once it receded.
“I was watching it for three days to make sure it didn’t flood in the gallery,” he said. “There was a big scene outside the front door with hundreds of people watching from a bridge, so I dragged my easel out there, and I had this weird urge to capture it. It felt historical.”
Although his prints (which aren’t available in Ponce City Market gallery) became popular enough to help him pay rent, he’s still worried about the future: “I’m lucky enough to still have my gallery, but also terrified now about there being no traffic, so hopefully this goes well.”
Patsy Rausch, an art teacher at Kincaid Elementary School in Marietta, was one of the attendees at Thursday night’s opening. She said she enjoys the range and versatility within the River Arts District.
She’s visited Asheville many times after the hurricane, and she said seeing the aftermath still feels “unreal.” As a fellow artist, Rausch wants to continue supporting the community that always inspires her.
“I like that they pull from their experiences in those local communities, and it’s a diverse city — not just in the artists themselves but in their mediums‚ techniques, what they thrive in, what they pull from. It’s just amazing. They’re all as unique as the people themselves.”
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
But the work doesn’t stop at the gallery. Burroughs hopes the camaraderie felt at the gallery leads to more people visiting Asheville.
“There’s so much of Asheville that’s ready to receive tourism and the River Arts District. It’s essential that people come and support our community here. Otherwise, the dreams that have been realized and built over the last 30 years will just be washed away.”
IF YOU GO
“Love Asheville from Afar”
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. Through Dec. 29. Admission is free. Ponce City Market, 650 North Ave. NE, Suite S102, Atlanta. 404-900-7900, poncecitymarket.com.
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