12/17/2024
Seed and Sky is one of my favorite local jewelers. Please read and support local artists this year more than ever. ❤️
Hello from the heartbreaking thick of it~
Hi dear friends, we live in Asheville NC and so many of you have reached out to see if we are safe and check in on us, and I can’t tell you how meaningful that has been to us. We haven't had power, internet, or water for 11 days now, so it has been difficult to communicate.
My dear studio in the river arts district flooded in the hurricane and has been a heartbreaking situation on so many levels.
When somebody sends a text or I meet a neighbor on the street the most common thing we ask is are you OK? And the answers are usually a variation of we’re OK all things considered. And while it’s true that in a lot of ways, we’re OK – all of our friends and loved ones are alive as far as we know and our home is a safe place, the truth of it is that individually and collectively, we have experienced trauma that I don’t think we have even begun to process. I know for myself the adrenaline and shock is just starting to wear off, and we haven’t stopped moving from the moment we open our eyes till when we fall asleep because there’s been so much to do and take care of. chain sawing the massive amount of trees down all around us, racing to salvage what we can from our studio, helping other artists move their life's work out of the muck, volunteering, hauling water for toilets etc. And I think there’s an element that I don’t want to stop because I don’t want to start feeling the feeling are going to come up when I take a rest.
Many friends and family have been reaching out, asking if they can help us financially—and I have been trying to change the subject because it feels uncomfortable to accept help when there are so many around me who are feeling the weight of the devastation so much more. People who have lost loved ones, their homes, their entire studio... But the reality is, the road ahead is long, and your support is truly appreciated.
I’ve set up a GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kelcey-rebuild-after-devastating-flood-in-asheville/cl/o?utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_content=amp8_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&attribution_id=sl%3A2b7ab8f9-4754-48ce-a60d-6ddfec63cd8f
(or if you prefer Venmo, my Venmo is -loomer - last four digits of my phone: 2233). Any help goes toward rebuilding my two art businesses that were both devastated in the flood.
I'm still in shock. I haven’t even cried yet. My heart aches for my fellow artists, my community, and all the lives lost in this disaster. The scale of the impact on our district and the greater Asheville area is overwhelming. We'll likely be without water for another 1-3 months in our area, and it’s been hard to comprehend the full scope of it all. I don't know what to say other than it feels incomprehensible.
That said, I feel an immense, overflowing, gratitude for all the tireless line workers, volunteers, and the outpouring of generosity from people near and far. From the smallest kindness to the massive efforts of organizations like FEMA (who has already deposited $750 to help cover damage to our house), I feel blessed to witness the compassion and strength of our community. Things like my next door neighbor's sister who lives in rural West Virginia made 560 burritos and drove them down to feed people in a rented a box truck. Heartwarming stories like this counter the deep sorrow for this place we love so dearly.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being part of this journey toward healing and rebuilding. 💛
With love and all my gratitude,
Kelcey
