Layers of Loss and Impact

Exploring the Effects of Hurricane Helene in Appalachia

BFA Solo Exhibition - S. Tucker Cooke Gallery

Artist Statement

This body of work examines the increasing severity of climate-driven events on ecosystems and communities. As global temperatures rise due to human activity, storms and natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe. Using photography and informed by environmental science research, this project explores themes of regrowth and resilience in Southern Appalachia following Hurricane Helene, an unprecedented storm intensified by a warming climate. By layering photographs taken at different stages of recovery, the work seeks to visualize the lived reality of climate change and the long-term ecological and social consequences. It aims not only to document transformation but also to emphasize the urgent need for meaningful climate reform.