In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Bakersville artist Lori Brook Johnson noticed many alarming things: the thick smell of gasoline, rushing floodwaters, uprooted pines and oaks. But she also noticed good things, namely an outpouring of support.
“Because I live near the 911 call center, I began seeing search and rescue teams form,” she tells Asheville Made.
Every day, more and more people came. And day after day, someone asked Johnson if she was OK — if there was any way they could make her life the least bit easier.
Inspired by the power of kindness in chaos, Johnson has begun drawing portraits of individuals who helped in the aftermath of the storm — from mothers who folded donated jackets to linemen who restored utilities to chefs who cooked hot meals. The project is Johnson’s way of saying thank you to the place and people she calls home.
“The people who are in my life here truly love me and I love them,” she says. “This has been so evident.”
But even today, months after Helene made landfall, Johnson and other artists living in Yancey and Mitchell counties still need kindness.
“Many artists have lost in so many ways,” she explains. “Some have lost their studios, supplies, and income. Others have lost vital shows and access to their medication. Some have lost hope.”
To support these artists, the Toe River Arts Council has raised more than $100,000. Donations have repaired kilns, replaced art-making materials, fixed damaged homes and studios, removed fallen trees, and otherwise helped artists move forward.
“With art, we process and expand our worlds,” says Johnson. “It adds to the quality of our life. … recovery is needed.”
Lori Brook Johnson, Bakersville. See loribrookjohnson.com and @loribrookjohnson on Instagram. To donate to the Toe River Arts Disaster Recovery Fund for Mitchell and Yancey Artists, visit toeriverarts.org.