A Community of Artists Reflect on Resilience After Helene
Exhibition Dates: October 2 – November 1, 2026
On display at Mars Landing Arts Center, 37 Library St. in Mars Hill, NC
Mars Landing Arts Center will host Pressing Onwards, a new group exhibition by Asheville Printmakers that brings together nearly two dozen artists exploring personal and collective resilience. Running October 2 through November 1, 2026, the show highlights how printmakers in the region have navigated repair, hope, and growth in the wake of Hurricane Helene and other moments of upheaval in their lives.
The public is invited to an opening reception on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 5 to 8 p.m., featuring live music by Jason Hite of 5J Barrow.
The works on view span a wide range of printmaking techniques, each offering a distinct interpretation of what it means to endure and rebuild. Some artists draw directly from the storm’s impact, while others reflect on private experiences of loss, disruption, or renewal.
In a shared statement, the exhibiting artists note: “As printmakers, we often persevere and press on through ink, layering, mark-making, carving, and the pressure of the press. Personal and collective narratives stand witness and tell a story of place and time. The struggle is not the end of the story, but an unexpected space where beauty can take root, mirroring life around us. Pressing onward—defiantly so.”
Participating Artists
Angela Modzelewski, Anne Bessac, Beatriz Coll, Beth Cefalu, Bobbi Allen, Brad Clement, Carol Lawrence, Christina Whiteman, Claudia Dunaway, David Humphreys, Denise Markbreit, Gwen Diehn, Jean McLaughlin, Jenny Wilker, L. June Eames, Laura Ladendorf, Lucinda Shelton, Lynn Allison, Starun Maria Epes, Martha Ensign Johnson, Martha Oatway, Steve West, and Susana Abell.
Community Art Spotlight: Turning the Page on Helene
The exhibition also features selected works from Turning the Page on Helene, a community-based therapeutic art project that uses altered books as a medium for processing and expressing storm-related experiences. These pieces expand the exhibition’s conversation, inviting viewers to consider how creativity supports healing across the region.
