By Gina Malone
Jaime Byrd was still shocked and traumatized by Hurricane Helene’s damage and the catastrophic flooding and destruction of her River Arts District (RAD) space when she first laid eyes on one of her paintings recovered from her gallery. An alteration of her original work, however, made her laugh out loud, and, thus, let go of a little stress. Across the painting’s surface were the muddy tracks of beavers. “The idea of two beavers swimming in my gallery—which felt so far from the river—just seems too incredible,” she says.
Footprints of Helene. Jaime Byrd, artist
But that’s what the building owner had found when he was able to get in once floodwaters had receded—beavers swimming in the mud and muck of the Depot Street gallery. And, although the two scurried away, they left their collaborative touches on Byrd’s painting titled Rooted Below. Embracing this bit of unexpected whimsy in the midst of so much heartbreaking destruction, Byrd will release a new rendition reproduction of the work titled Footprints of Helene. The 24” x 16” giclee limited edition reproduction will be made available in sets of 50 prints at a time, with the price increasing with each additional 50 until 250 prints have been sold. The last three prints will be sold at auction to the highest bidders.
Byrd plans to use the money from sales of the prints to help rebuild her studio and gallery. “I didn’t know if I had the strength to rebuild again after opening only eight months before Helene, but it was the weekly RADA (River Arts District Association) meetups and talking with other artists that made me realize that I needed to stay,” she says. “We also had such an unbelievable outpouring of support from our collectors, Asheville locals and the artistic community from all around the country. These kind words, donations of art supplies, spaces for displaced artists and small gestures of kindness helped me realize the importance that the RAD has in our city and that, too, gave me the strength to move forward and rebuild. We have spent too much money and time creating this dream gallery to walk away, even under all the circumstances.”
Byrd says that it is hard for her to accept the destruction and how it has changed her life. But she also sees amazing resilience all around her. “I think creatives are the strongest people I know,” she says. “Yes, we are also fragile, sensitive and easily broken, but we are good at creating a life worth living. The collective bond of so many artists in the RAD along with a supportive and strong RADA board helped all of us get through this together.”
For the print, as with many of her original paintings, Byrd—also an Emmy-nominated filmmaker—will create an AR (Augmented Reality) movie that viewers may access through a free app downloadable for smartphones or tablets. “I will make sure it will be delightful and fun,” she says.
Learn more or purchase a print or other original works by Jaime Byrd at JaimeByrd.com. Follow her on Instagram (JaimeByrd). The Jaime Byrd Contemporary Art Gallery is located at 375 Depot Street, Suite 105, in the River Arts District.
