2026 Update
As we start 2026, we come to the close of this GoFundMe campaign and we want to pause and offer our deepest thanks. What began as a moment of profound loss after Hurricane Helene has become, through your generosity, a story of resilience, renewal, and community. If you'd like to see the new space in action and have an Instagram account, you can access video and images @jmkah236.
Because of you, JMK Studios has reopened in a new home - a wonderful space where we are once again painting, teaching, and welcoming students. Your support helped us recover what could be replaced, move artwork and supplies out of storage, rebuild essential infrastructure, and begin offering classes again. Just as importantly, it reminded us that this studio is more than a physical space, it is also a shared commitment to creativity, learning, and connection.
This past year has asked us to grieve what was lost while also imagining new ways forward. We’ve learned to adapt, to teach differently, and to rebuild with care and intention. Standing in the studio now, with light on the walls and students returning, we feel both humbled and hopeful. You can continue to support JMK Studios by registering for classes, purchasing original artwork, and visiting the studio. We are always glad to welcome friends old and new! Please find John on social media for daily updates @jmkah236 or check out the website: John Mac Kah.
View of the new easel set up.
Students in the new space.
****************
Our Story
My name is Tara Webb. I currently live in Greensboro, NC and I am part of a team helping to raise funds for my parents, who live in Asheville, NC. My stepfather is John Mac Kah, a contemporary realist painter. Like hundreds of others in the River Arts District, John and my mother Ruthanne lost their entire second-floor studio space in Riverview Station to Hurricane Helene.
Screenshot image from Reddit during the storm of the old building.
This is the old studio pre-flood.
Aftermath of the flood, post cleanout - note the unsafe floor.
The storm devastated not only their personal workspace of nine years but also their teaching and community-engagement space. The studio, gallery, kitchen, and teaching spaces, JMK Studio 236, was swamped by the French Broad River as it swept through the River Arts District during Hurricane Helene on September 27th. We all had no idea the river would crest at 24.7 feet!
Unsalvageable paintings covered in silt.
What they could salvage is now in temporary storage, but the Riverview Station building is nearly 100 years old. They may not be able to return for months—or ever—if the building is condemned or faced with costly repairs. They lost two rooms of art supplies including tools, furniture, personal effects, and other living resources.
Flood damaged trash outside the building.
Business printer ruined.
They also lost an archive of student sketchbooks, multiple drawings and paintings, hard-to-find art books, furniture, storage drawers, plants, props for still-life, kitchen supplies, and so much more.
Student portfolios and materials soaked with flood water.
Most importantly, they suffered the loss of their main source of income - the opportunity to teach workshops.
This is the studio during a workshop.
Your donations continue to support:
- Moving costs for setting up the new studio space with furniture and fixtures
- Preparing the space for workshops and classes
- Replacing essential supplies and equipment
- Restoring damaged works and rebuilding the art library
- Reestablishing a space where creativity, community, and inspiration can flourish again
We’re deeply grateful to everyone who has donated, shared, or sent encouragement over the past year. You’ve helped carry John and Ruthanne through one of the hardest seasons of their lives. The work isn’t over yet, but now there’s a way forward.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us.
With love and gratitude,
John & Ruthanne Kah
JMK Studios