Support an Artist's Recovery in Marshall, NC

Hello friends,

It is beyond devastating to see how our beloved community has been hit by this storm. As many of you already know, my studio in Marshall High Studios on the island in Marshall, NC was destroyed by Hurricane Helene! The water reached over 20 feet, which means my sacred space of 8 years was completely submerged and demolished by the currents and debris coming down the river. I will include the pictures I was able to capture below. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to enter the space, given the door was blocked by the collapsed wall.

My heart is broken. This studio was more than a workspace, but was my home! In this disaster I not only lost most of, if not all of my porcelain creations, tools, kilns, and resources, but also materials (clay, wood, fabric, fibers, etc) and research/recipes from over 15 years as an artist.

As a full-time artist, this could potentially end my career. This is why I am asking for help from those who are able and willing to donate anything you can to help me get back on my feet. It’s also important to note that all my shows as of right now have been canceled for the foreseeable future because of this regional tragedy. This means I may have no income until I can return to doing craft shows. Thankfully, I had my copper electroformed jewelry at home in Asheville and not in my studio. I will be able to continue creating this work, but no events to sell during the peak season for artists. Fall and holiday season have previously been my most profitable time of year and pay my bills through the winter.

Thank you to everyone who has checked in, and sent their condolences and support during this time. I trust that we will get through this together! I promise I will never stop creating, but would so appreciate the help to rebuild and survive. ❤️

Please check out my work below and if you want to purchase my jewelry, you can find it on my Pure Ritual website!

http://www.ninakawar.com

https://www.pure-ritual.com

Update: Now that I have a better idea of what is lost, what I need to survive until shows resume and the funds needed to help me rebuild all that I have lost in the hurricane. My goal is to raise $20,000 for myself. Anything above will be donated to Marshall High Studios to rebuild the art studios; as well as I would like to distribute donations to individual artists within the Asheville community who need assistance in getting back to creating. This is an opportunity not only to help me rebuild but help fellow artists out who lost their livelihoods and careers.

So please, assist us on this path towards rebuilding and renewal. Love to you all!