Nina Kawar | Hurricane Helene Swept Away Her Livelihood and Life's Work

Amid thousands of people in Western North Carolina who’ve lost so much, scores of artists with studios in the River Arts District, in Swannanoa, and in downtown Marshall saw their livelihoods and life’s work washed away.

I begin my coverage of Hurricane Helene's impact and aftermath with a conversation with ceramic artist, jewelry maker and my friend, Nina Kawar. For the past eight years, she has had a studio on the first floor of Marshall High Studios, on Blannahassett Island in downtown Marshall. Flood waters rose to the ceiling of Nina's studio and all the others on the first floor and left every building in downtown Marshall in ruins.

We’ll hear Nina’s story of loss but also of astounding resilience in the face of something that until Hurricane Helene she had never imagined.

You can support Nina Kawar's fundraising efforts around the work and studio she lost in the flood by visiting her GoFundMe page.

Photo credit: Lauren Rutten / Asheville Made

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Transcript

Matt Peiken: Nina, describe your studio space and what it meant to you, personally and professionally.

Nina Kawar: [00:00:00] What a beautiful opportunity to reflect right now. Thanks, Matt. See if I can do it without crying, right? And that's okay if I do. Yeah. My sacred space, a place that, that I was welcomed in so organically, like all things in life, I think, happen for a reason.

But I had just moved to Mars Hill. I moved a studio from Asheville. And I was in a transition in my life, a big change. And was letting go of relationship and this space came in my life at a divine timing and where it really became yeah, a sanctuary, a place for me to feel like I could just safely create, let go, process what was happening in my life through form, through creating with clay. 

Matt Peiken: Yeah, describe the space that you built. Physically, what it looked like, what you were intentional about creating for yourself there. 

Nina Kawar: So I was in the old principal's office, first off, [00:01:00] Which is part of the story of the room, but that's i've just been told by People that have gone to school there, which is sweet. It's in the front of the building, One of the first ones that you walk in and so I have light that's coming from the bridge end. I had just such beautiful light, really large windows oh my God, like floor to ceiling almost. 

Matt Peiken: And they were the original windows. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah. So yeah, this the school was restored, but really kept if not all the character they possibly could. I am one of the few rooms that was painted all white and I actually have, I had an additional wall where I could have, another space in the back. And I have track lightings instead of having, what's those other lights, fluorescent light.

Yeah. So it was great because I could put things on the wall and photograph them on the white walls and. It was right in the front so I could carry my heavy 25 pound bag of clay up the stairs or my bins and in and out and load up my car easily by backing up, so Where it was at was, [00:02:00] beautiful, but inside, I created a space, going back to your question, that I was able to not only create, but I had a place to sit, which it changed over the years.

There was times when I had a little nook to eat, or I had a kitchen, and, but now where it was ended, I don't know how to frame it, but the state in which it was in before the flood was I had a space carved out for my porcelain or I should say clay sculptures and all my tools surrounding me at ease.

And then one whole side of the room was my gallery of my fine art that exhibited kind of the multiple series that I've gone through.

Matt Peiken: You also had your kiln in there. 

Nina Kawar: I actually have three kilns, but one's a large scut kiln. That's the one I used, and that was the only one, large one that was hooked up. 

Matt Peiken: So you literally your life's work your creative work was in your studio, things you had made, things you were making [00:03:00] and From what I understand, you posted a video right as the storm before it was approaching that saying that you got everything off the floor. 

Nina Kawar: Right though, 

Matt Peiken: right.

Nina Kawar: Oh, I would love to talk about this. Yeah. Tell me. Yeah I didn't even think I was going to be able to get on the island. I need to start there. By the time I got the email, I couldn't get a hold of anybody to say, I live in Asheville and it would have been a 25 minute drive to get there.

And as we all know, the river rises really quickly. And finally Frank Lombardo actually messaged me back after I've gotten a lot of misinformation from people saying, no, you can't get on the island. You can't, it's flooded. 

Matt Peiken: And this is on Thursday or Friday ?Thursday. 

Nina Kawar: Thursday. And at least three people were like, nope, it's flooded. Nope, it's flooded. And I really woke up to it at 10 in the morning and it was, it doesn't sound long, but it was excruciating for about two hours. So a little after 12, I got a message from Frank saying I don't know if you're, you can come here now, but it could [00:04:00] be 20 minutes. It could be an hour. And then you're not going to be able to be here. 

Matt Peiken: Yeah at that point he knew it was imminent that the island was going to be buried.

Nina Kawar: Yeah 

Matt Peiken: at that point What did 

Nina Kawar: it felt different matt? It felt different than all the other floods one. We had more information, right? but I'm just talking from an energetic standpoint. It just felt different because we got all that rain. We're getting all that rain already and the river was Flooding already and we didn't even get hit by the hurricane yet, and we knew it was coming.

Matt Peiken: What were you feeling? 

Nina Kawar: Yeah, just the seriousness of it Yeah, I just felt like I had to get in there and I had to do what I can. So the staircase, so where it would just start flooding into the first floor, the number I had at least was 18 foot and we were expecting 19 feet and so that's a foot, right?

So I get in my studio and actually it was. Communicating with Frank on my drive and realized, number one priority is my kiln. Cause that is, that, [00:05:00] that's what, my biggest tool. Most expensive tool, for one, but I can't do it, I can't fire the work without it. And, so, I got in and immediately Frank was my rock. He was just like, let's take it apart. And so we took it apart. And actually Michael Green came in and helped us too. So there's four sections. But I had to take my work out there.

I had five pieces that are unfired, which I will share the photos of those beautiful works someday. But they will never be formed again because it turned to clay. But anyhow we got the work out and set them in safe places. And then you can actually take the hinges off of the scut kiln.

And so we put two of the rings On my couch, and then the cover, which is the heaviest, we put on the bar in the auditorium along with another ring and the electrical component on the bar in the auditorium. And then there's a bass and I don't even honestly know where the rest of it went, but I scattered it, and but going [00:06:00] back to the numbers, it reached let's just round up and say 21 feet or even 20 feet. Yeah, so 

Matt Peiken: So when you Got there and rushed there and you had help Frank and another person helped you Dismantle it. Did you think at that point? Huh I got here in time. I was able to Keep everything safe. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah, thanks for bringing it back.

So I honestly I knew I had to get off that island ASAP. So we did the the kiln and I, they left. I said, thank you. They had to go do their thing. And I moved everything up that as much as I could, but I only had limited space. And strangely I was in such a panic mode that I didn't even, actually, I grabbed my brother's guitar. I grabbed a linen for my table. I grabbed my drill that I need for my craft shows And I think I grabbed something else and I don't remember but I didn't grab anything because I just Knew I didn't have time because I looked at the river and it was coming up and 

Matt Peiken: yeah You had to worry about [00:07:00] getting off the island, your car and being able to get off were you just I wasn't nervous or were you composed? 

Nina Kawar: I was pretty composed in that regard I wasn't I stopped and took that video You know what I mean? It wasn't like it was gonna be a wave or anything, but I guess, I've had to process this already and I'm in a good place with it, of like, why didn't I take more?

Why didn't I fill up my car? But one reason why I didn't is because my car was full of my craft show. My tent, my my stands, all that stuff. So my car was already packed. There wouldn't have been much. And it was almost like I didn't want to have to pick what was important. And when Michael Green and Frank were helping me, Michael even was like, this looks important.

And I just decided to put it up high thinking we're not gonna get this high. Even the numbers, to be honest with you, don't make sense to me because I saw the line of the wall and it reached like to the top of the first floor. 

Matt Peiken: Yeah. Now, when did you learn that the water was far higher than anybody you expected and that [00:08:00] there's no way that studio didn't fill up? When did you learn that? 

Nina Kawar: In an intuitive sense, first, I just knew when we were getting hit. Just knew it. You just knew it. I just knew it was gone. Yeah, I just knew that it was higher, I should say. Okay. When I say gone, I really want to, yeah, look at it in a different light.

That, yeah, I was going to, that, that where, what I, with the level in which I put the work, or all the things, it far surpassed that. When I saw the storm, when I felt the storm. But as far as knowing whenever I could tap in like it, I don't even know what date is, to be quite honest with you.

Matt Peiken: Yeah. You mean what date is now? It's hard to keep track, right? It's Wednesday. Is it Wednesday? I had to ask Miryam this morning, what day is this? So you must've heard on Friday or on Saturday, probably Friday. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah. Friday. 

Matt Peiken: And you've been out to your studio since then. When did you go out there? 

Nina Kawar: So I knew that I needed to wait another day. [00:09:00] Because the river, from experience, it takes some time to lower, right? And, if it wasn't as bad, say it was that 19 feet, it would be like maybe Friday night.

And I wouldn't go Friday night because it would be dark, so I was planning on going there Saturday anyhow. And a friend came into town and he actually has had a Tesla, so I didn't have to worry about gas. 

Matt Peiken: That's huge right now. Although getting power, it's hard, you still have to plug in a Tesla.

Yeah, but 

Nina Kawar: there's one by the mall. Okay, 

Matt Peiken: okay. So, so you went out there and what did you see? 

Nina Kawar: Otherworldly. Yes, I've seen the island flooded before, but it was a beach, you know, and trees that were never there before, or the trees that were there were not. And all the trees piled up and junk piled up in front of the building and blocking it.

And that's when I really got shocked and actually A friend, Lauren Rutten came, was saying my name and I just, I didn't, couldn't even [00:10:00] greet her. That made me sad when I processed it, but I was just so in shock walking up to the building, and I just needed to get in. And so I ended up Olly, I think it's Olly, I'm sorry I can't remember your name. I saw another studio artist that we've never met before.

And I just knew, we knew looking at each other that we both just went through something big. And we embraced each other, said sorry. And she gave me her gloves so that I could go in. And so I went to my door. The left entrance of the school building. Got up the steps and unfortunately the mud was at least, again memory, maybe up to my knees.

And so there was no way, I would have to scoop, get a shovel, open it up. But I saw that Trish Marshall was in the hallway, in my hallway, way down by the bathroom. I was like, she got in there, how did she get in there? I, being in focus determination mode, decided to go to the left side of the [00:11:00] building.

And it was quicksand, Matt. And I started going in, and Randy pulled me out. And then I just kept going, and I got stuck more, and I started panicking, and I was literally getting sucked down, and thankfully he, strong man, was able to pull me out. So I'm grateful. 

He's like, we're not going this way. And I knew at that point I was like, okay. So we went around back into the other side of the building and the doors were already propped open and Trish was in there Marshall Trish Marshall, and she's the manager of the building, one of them.

Remember I told you the electrical component was on the bar? 

Matt Peiken: Oh, yeah. 

Nina Kawar: So, it was still sitting there like nothing ever happened. 

Matt Peiken: Wow, that's surreal. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah, but the whole auditorium floors are ripped up, and she's Do not go in there because you'll fall down into the basement, which is all water. So it's just very like, it's not safe to walk on that. And so she's tried to get me into the back storage room, which would be accessed like right there. But the key [00:12:00] wouldn't open. It was locked or not locked, but stuck. And she couldn't break her key cause it's a master key.

And so we went on the outside patio and it was right there, but still not an arm's reach. So I couldn't grab that. I at least was like, Oh, that'd be nice to have that electrical component. Obviously it went through the water, but these things, from what I hear, can be rebuilt. 

Matt Peiken: Okay. So how did you finally see your studio?

Nina Kawar: Yeah, so, Trish wasn't gonna follow me back over the because she just did that. She couldn't get into her studio because her door wasn't working. I went in from the back deck and walked down the hallway and I actually have a video of that experience. I didn't share it yet. Just wasn't ready. I was talking through it, about my experience and then walking really gently and carefully, but the meat the meat. I don't know what that was the mud Was really yeah It was deep. It was like a horror film .Yeah, it was sounds dramatic, but it was just like a movie. 

Matt Peiken: Well, Visually, it looks dramatic, everything i've seen, [00:13:00] and you were living it in that moment. How deep was the mud when you got to your door? 

Nina Kawar: It was probably Maybe shin deep maybe ankle deep somewhere between shin and ankle, Yeah, I just those facts are kind of like a blur the blur. But You I got to my door, and there was actually footsteps already to my door, and I didn't recognize until I went back to the video.

And my door was open. And so I'm now putting together, I can almost promise you, it was probably Frank. We needed to open doors to the air and flow and and even if someone did you couldn't open up more than, I mean, I'm a pretty small girl. And I couldn't really squeeze much I could if I really wanted to squeeze my body through the door, but I had just enough room to use my camera to videotape it. 

Matt Peiken: Oh, so you couldn't even open the door. Was it more mud that was there or was it debris from your studio? 

Nina Kawar: What was really holding the door was a whole wall collapsed in the middle of my room. And so that spare room I told you [00:14:00] about, that wall is literally in the middle of my room.

The couches are flipped. So there's a window that looks into the auditorium. There's a chair, busted through that. Like you can see, that's how I know the how, you know, like the water level for one, but It was just like taking a snow globe, and shaking it 

Matt Peiken: and shaking it.

Yeah, how long did you stay there and assess what was going on? 

Nina Kawar: I knew I need, couldn't be there long. I could actually taste it in my mouth too, the toxins and or more so like the breathing. Yeah, I just knew my body should not be in there long. So I videotaped and I took four pictures and, I saw my brass Ganesh right by the door, sitting there on his table podium that I had created and I grabbed that. 

Matt Peiken: And then you left, you drove off, where did you go? 

Nina Kawar: So actually, I feel like I need to express that we were in filth, toxic mud, and who know, like I said, like [00:15:00] just I needed to clean up after going through the quicksand up to my knee.

And I kept taking my hand out of my glove to use the phone. I knew I needed to wash up. And so Trish told us about a little creek alongside the mill that I could go rinse up. So I rinsed off my feet. And I cleaned my boots to the best of my ability. Took my socks off and Randy actually gave me a piggyback ride to the Tesla. 

Matt Peiken: He was there with you. Yeah. That whole time. Yeah. I can imagine just running through a storm of emotions yourself upon seeing that, and then leaving and just beginning to process. The reason I'm talking with you among other reasons It's to communicate to listeners about our creative community in what you're needing right now and what you've lost. Have you lost your ability to earn a living because of this?

Nina Kawar: Yeah in, [00:16:00] in ways that I kind of feel like I need to talk about. 

Matt Peiken: Please do, yeah. 

Nina Kawar: And I'm also just trying to stay hopeful, so know that I'm coming from that lens. So, hundreds of thousands of dollars of work gone. If I did inventory I didn't have and actually that list is in my studio, so I hope I find it maybe I will. 

Matt Peiken: It's not on a computer? No. Oh, wow. 

Nina Kawar: I know, technology, but I've never really been that great at it. But just a lot of porcelain work, but I do want to highlight like My tools right, that's my ability to work with clay again right now. And Like my kiln for example, but what about I don't have one carving tool so I would have to start over just to have the tools to do that work.

But in the light of things As some people have been witnessing, I've been shifting my business, Pure Ritual, from porcelain metaphysical tools to copper electroform jewelry. And I thankfully did not have [00:17:00] my jewelry in the studio, and I had it in my home. And my car was filled with my craft show stuff.

So, there's this okay, I lost that work and I don't have the space and I don't have the tools. And maybe it's a closing of the chapter right now. And I will always be creating no matter, you know, I'll find a way to create, but as far as my bread and butter, my jewelry is something that I can continue to make, which I'm super grateful for in an almost easier capacity because it's smaller.

But let's look at through this lens though as an artist. So October alone I had five shows I paid for and scheduled. So one a week, last week of October is two of them. They're all canceled for the foreseeable future in this region. All this month, keep in mind Tourists, the tourists coming into our town is really what allows me to really share the work, and, I'm so grateful for [00:18:00] that. But we're not gonna be back there for a while. I'm gonna have to go elsewhere.

Really? 

Matt Peiken: Yeah, and I suppose kind of assessing that is still gonna take time. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah, as you can hear I'm processing now. Yeah, 

Matt Peiken: how can you not be right? 

Nina Kawar: I don't know what that's gonna look like. None of us do though, and that's the fact for all of us is none of us know I don't really know what I'm what's gonna happen when I leave this room. 

Matt Peiken: Yeah. Do you know where to turn for resources as an independent business owner and solo artist? Do you feel like I have resources I can turn to for help or do you feel I'm really adrift? 

Nina Kawar: No, there's absolutely resources and I'm so grateful. I'm just gonna take a moment to thank all those that have sent it to me. I haven't had space to connect or time or even service to get into websites to do more than call FEMA. FEMA was the first and it was [00:19:00] an easy process. I did it over the phone and that is for my studio particularly. And so, I did the application process on the phone with them and they said it would be seven to ten days till an inspector will get a hold of me.

Unfortunately, I was given misinformation saying I couldn't do anything to the space physically until the inspector came, but I called today and finding that actually we just need to document it with photographs. Because otherwise I was like if I touch it, I'm not going to be able to get in there. 

Matt Peiken: Right.

Nina Kawar: You know, or if I won't be able to be supported, but then last night I also created a go fund me. This is a big fucking deal for me to ask for help. Never in my life have I and yeah I'm pushing through some boundaries right now. 

Matt Peiken: Yeah, so you have a go fund me. FEMA has been helpful, at least so far 

Nina Kawar: So far. Yeah

Matt Peiken: What do you feel you need that you haven't had aside from money that everybody needs and you have that gofundme for that? Is there anything you need or want the community to [00:20:00] know? Not only speaking for yourself, but probably others in your shoes. What do you need? 

Nina Kawar: I chuckle first because what I need is sleep right now. But For our community, waters coming back online, but we need to Help each other out So that not One person or certain people are carrying the load for everyone. And so I feel like right now for me is Also trying to be one of those Leaders that are saying, hey We need help here.

We need help here. And if someone can't because everyone's going through their own shit right now, all over this region. People are being pulled. What's what? What do people need? How can I help? Like I just I guess I want to broadcast this. If I reached out to you and it's I don't expect you to help. But it doesn't hurt to ask, and ask one another for, if we need help.

Matt Peiken: I think that's so hard for a lot of people is asking. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah. 

Matt Peiken: Yeah. 

You seem, when I saw you half an hour ago at your car I didn't know what, how you would [00:21:00] be. And you seem so remarkably resilient considering what you're still in the thick of. What do you attribute that to? You have such a kind of a, I don't know if you would label it an optimism, but you have a lightness right now that I did not expect. I expected a deeper heaviness and I'm not feeling that. And that radiates out to me and frankly gives me more light. And I wasn't feeling that before. So how would you describe what I'm trying to describe and what do you attribute that to?

Nina Kawar: Thank you for sharing that. Yeah. Oh, that's beautiful reflection. Cause I feel as grounded as I can be right now and I'm just filled with gratitude. For my breath, for my family, for my life. But that resilience you're speaking to, yeah, I've been through some shit in my life and I'm a survivor and I know I've got it, what it takes to show [00:22:00] up and determination, but also like I have love.

Love for myself and gratitude for this life that I have, but also for my community. And I know we can do this together. Because we might be doing it on our own right now. I don't know who's coming in and how we're being helped, and I don't need to know. I just need to focus on what's in front of me.

And so, thankfully I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job of that. I've I've had my moments where that's one reason why I haven't slept, just like processing. And thankfully, I even cried the other night. And was able to move some of that, so then I can show up right here with you right now at this space.

So, I encourage you or anyone else that if you're feeling heavy, allow yourself to feel it. Don't push it down, but release it. This is a fucking hard times. This is catastrophic for our little, not so little, I don't know, community. 

Matt Peiken: Is there anything we haven't talked about you want people to [00:23:00] know or you want to just express?

Nina Kawar: I would Yeah, there are a few things that I do want to share. As I mentioned, The GoFundMe that I put together, once I get, tap into the internet, I actually want to express that change the number in which I put on there as a goal, and express that beyond what I need, I'm hoping that I can be one of those that also collect and be able to distribute, and whether or not that happens or not, I don't know.

But I sense that a lot of people are doing that, so I want to encourage those that are listening to please support, if you can, in that way. If you can support through monetary, just trust that it's going to the places it's needed. And also if you can physically help in any way, or you have water to provide because you have water at your house. It's a scary time, and we're, [00:24:00] a lot of people are fearful and don't know what to do. Like gas, some people can't even drive away. I don't want to go too dark, but it's reality, but like some people are trapped. And a lot are not here with us anymore.

So, if we can just really come together, right now, and help each other out. 

Matt Peiken: I think the Beatles sang that. 

Nina Kawar: Yeah, will you sing it to me? 

Matt Peiken: Come together, right now, over me. Thanks Nina, that was beautiful. Thank you. 

Nina Kawar: Yes.