Elizabeth Porritt Carrington
I have a beloved studio on the second floor of the Riverside River Factory Studio in RAD and represent everyone in the Tyger Tyger Gallery on the first floor of Riverview Station and the Artplay Gallery on Warehouse Street. I’ve been displaced and in the makeshift studio at Phil Mechanical Studios in the upper Rad. As an artist, it was a big loss and a huge experience. I found my feet and I knew I would somehow figure out my way. I miss my studio, I have a beautiful space, I miss the gallery and community, a true art village that travels through the entire area, a rare paradise for creative arts living. The support of the arts community in Asheville and the larger community around us is uniting in extraordinary ways. We have a lot to fight against and continue to witness the evidence of this every day. Some artists have had to leave town, especially those with affected houses and studios. I feel more than ever as part of the reconstruction, more dedicated to the community, but feels like we are on the edge of the wild.
Heather Clements
Helene was my second major hurricane, surviving the 2018 Michael Category 5 hurricane, which destroyed my home, with more than 80% of the trees covering a million acres. We moved to Asheville and immersed in nature and art, away from hurricanes. (That didn’t work well.) My house survived this time, but my gallery and teaching space were destroyed, about 40% of the artwork and many supplies and materials. I was lucky enough to save a lot of art before the flood. The River Arts District was destroyed 80%, but the art world has been inspiring and tenacious in the face of such horrific destruction. My artistic career has been persistent in another major hurricane and pandemic, especially with the help of the Rad and Amazing Asheville community, which I know I can help with, too.
The River Arts District was destroyed 80%, but the art world has been inspiring and tenacious in the face of such horrific destruction. -Heather Clements, Rad Artist
