It's like clockwork. Every February or so the dismal cold and dark of winter settles in and you're right smack in the middle of Seasonal Depression with weeks to go before Spring is in full force.
I shot these photos of the River Arts District in Asheville NC, my neighborhood, blissfully unaware of what would happen here in just a few months. I bundled up early in the mornings and ventured out into the freezing pre dawn wandering through an empty and still sleeping RAD. It felt like searching, trying to see below the surface. It felt like loneliness, sadness and loss but I leaned into it. Somehow it felt important. Turns out it was.
After Hurricane Helene ripped through Asheville and the surrounding areas the landscape was permanently altered. I saw things that were unimaginable. I collected myself just enough to go out and shoot my beloved River Arts District again and my heart broke into a million pieces.
I continued to venture out and try to make sense out of what I was seeing.
This kind of processing takes time. I hit a wall way less than I did 10 months ago. There's clear evidence of Helene just about everywhere you go but there are huge efforts being made everyday to rebuild our community which you also see evidence of so the balance is starting to tip. I have made prints available for some of my photos and the money for that goes to support me and my family directly. While I was fortunate to not lose my home I did lose several income streams and a gallery space of artwork. I hope to be back in the River Arts District this Fall.