I stepped outside, confronted by the raw ocean waves tearing through mountain skies. Born and cradled in these sacred mountains, I had never before felt them tremble, or witnessed creek beds knocking at front doors, demanding to be let in. Tires hung on the treetops; homes lay in broken pieces; roads erased completely;
families scattered, struggling, missing. Helene, what have you done? Held in disbelief, I was consumed by the loudest silence I have ever heard. Together, we inhaled. Together, we exhaled, releasing an intuitive, collective cry.
As an artist, I practice listening deeply to the language of nature and leaning into the guidance of intuition. Navigating the wilderness of grief, I found myself in a trance at the sight of the massive debris left behind where wooded areas had once been . The beautiful tree canopies that benefit our communities by offering shade, sheltering wildlife, and regulating temperatures were gone in much of Western North Carolina. Earth’s Canopy is a recognition of the climate change impact and of a challenge to ourselves to do more to protect our planet.
