In the days leading up to Hurricane Helene, Asheville artist Chris Jehly didn’t need to watch the news to know danger was imminent. A hawk told him all he needed to know. “… before the actual storm hit, I saw a large hawk sitting on our fence being pummeled, unphased by the downpour, wind, and thunder,” Jehly remembers. “I immediately felt there was something seriously wrong, seeing this bird sitting idle.” The avian proved prophetic. In the early morning hours of Friday, September 27, a deluge destroyed many of the mountain places Jehly held dear. “The very landscapes that had generated and influenced my watercolor paintings were gone — as well as the works themselves,” he says. In the months since, the artist has focused on “confronting the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene.” That means painting from memories made before the storm. “Site specificity no longer has any meaning,” says Jehly, “since the land and everything on it has been swept violently to other locations, maybe even miles away.” This winter, Jehyl will be one of 20 Western North Carolina artists participating in Postdiluvian at Tracey Morgan Gallery. According to a press statement, the show will feature works “made in reaction to, were recovered from, or became newly relevant to the flooded landscape of the Asheville area.” Ten percent of proceeds from sales will be donated to local organizations helping with recovery efforts.
Postdiluvian: January 31-March 15; Opening Reception: Friday, January 31, 6-8pm
Tracey Morgan Gallery / 22 London Road, Asheville / traceymorgangallery.com