Beyond the Water

Beyond the Water is the Spring 2025 exhibition at Stewart’s Caring Place and featured the work of more than 30 Asheville (NC) artists whose lives were upended by Hurricane Helene and the resulting tropical storm that flooded Asheville's famous River Arts District. Beyond the Water is a special show of support, resilience, and recovery curated by ART x LOVE, and is free and open to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm from March to July, 2025.

When Hurricane Helene passed through Asheville in October 2024, more than 300 artists lost their work, their studios, and their livelihood. We had visited our friends in Asheville earlier that year and toured the River Arts District with our kids. "It was so inspiring to see how their thriving arts community worked," says Mac. "Art is a major economic and tourism industry in Asheville, with more than 600 local artists featuring in weekly art markets, galleries, and special events.”

In the aftermath of the hurricane, we checked in on our friends from Asheville, who shared the scope of the devastation. A few days later, they contacted us to ask if they could do a Kickstarter for a special deck of playing cards to raise money for artists impacted by the flood. Two months later, that Kickstarter had raised more than $200,000 for River Arts District artists. The playing card set, Asheville on Deck: The Flood Collection was completed and released in January 2025.

Art x Love works with Stewart's to do art planning, creative strategy, and manage their Healing Arts Gallery. When we met with their team to discuss ideas for this year's exhibitions, a show featuring Asheville artists was high on our list. Since 100% of the proceeds from these exhibitions go directly to the artists, and many in our community have ties to Asheville, this exhibit seemed like a great way to show support from Northeast Ohio.

“When Mac and Allyse brought this opportunity to our attention, we knew we had to act”, states Sarah Vojtek, President & CEO of Stewart’s Caring Place. “The synergy between the grief and hope experienced by those affected by cancer and the artists who have lost so much is profound. This exhibit is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit, bringing together communities from across the country in a shared expression of hope and healing.”

After reaching out to Asheville artists to gauge their interest, Mac drove to the River Arts District over the Presidents’ Day weekend to collect their work. Upon arriving, Mac was struck by the camaraderie and compassion of Asheville's artists. "Many of them were seeing one another for the first time since the hurricane,” said Mac. “It was humbling and emotional to hear their stories, and then also to be entrusted with these amazing works of art they had created for a show that is 8 1/2 hours and 5 states away.”

Beyond the Water features more than 50 works of art by more than 30 Asheville artists. "The exhibition features woodcarving, sculpture, fashion, paintings, embroidery, textiles, photography, and more," says Allyse. "Unwrapping each piece in this exhibit was like a special gift. Several of the artists included notes to share the story of each piece. Some of these pieces were created before the flood, some after, and then there are others that were pulled directly out of the mud from the storm."

"Asheville's artists want people to know that the storm hit just over five months ago, and though their community is still digging itself out, Asheville remains a beautiful and amazing place to live and visit," says Mac. "They still need every bit of support they can get, and we're honored they would entrust us with this special art exhibition of support, resilience, and healing." More than 50 people came out for the opening and over $2,000 was raised through art sales. The show also received coverage from News 5 Cleveland and New Day Cleveland, expanding awareness of Stewarts Caring Place and Asheville’s artists.

"At Stewart's Caring Place, we deeply believe in the transformative power of art," said Vojtek. "Every month, hundreds of individuals and families walk through our doors in Fairlawn and Canton, seeking solace and support. This exhibition holds a special place in our hearts because it beautifully illustrates that grief manifests in many forms, and through mutual support, we can all embark on a journey of healing together.”

For more information on Stewart’s Caring Place, visit stewartscaringplace.org