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🎨 Support Asheville Rising at The Spring New Jersey Gem Show: Buy Artwork or Donate Today!
Make a difference at this year’s Spring New Jersey Gem Show by supporting the Asheville Rising Booth. Your contributions—whether through purchasing artwork or donating via QR codes throughout the show—will directly help artists from Asheville, NC, rebuild their lives and livelihoods after the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
Every purchase and every dollar matters. Let’s come together to revitalize Asheville’s River Arts District and support these talented artists as they rise above the challenges they’ve faced.
Asheville Rising Tent at the 2025 SPRING NJ Gem Show
This year’s gem show isn’t just about stunning gemstones, fossils, and crystals—it’s also about making an impact. Located in the Booth #1241, the Asheville Rising Booth is a heartfelt initiative to support Asheville’s creative community, particularly artists who lost their homes, studios, and supplies to Hurricane Helene.
A Mission Inspired by Resilience
Russell and Missy Carhart, owners of Hart Events USA and managers of Eons Expos, understand the pain of loss all too well. Hurricane Sandy devastated five of their properties in 2012, with one completely swept away. Inspired by their own journey of rebuilding, they’ve partnered with Wendy White, founder of the nonprofit Let’s Choose Love, and its project Asheville Rising – Love Along the Way, to provide critical support to Asheville’s creative community, particularly artists in the River Arts District who were devastated by Hurricane Helene.
Showcasing the Artists of Asheville Rising
Four extraordinary Asheville-based artists—Galen Frost Bernard, Kelcey Loomer, Tarah Singh, Alex Stilber, Mark Harmon, and Colton Dion—have been selected to showcase their works in the Asheville Rising Tent. These artists have not only endured the emotional toll of losing homes, studios, and supplies but have also demonstrated remarkable resilience by continuing to create.
A glimpse into their stories
Tarah Singh: Tarah is a Guyanese-American artist raised in the mountains of Western North Carolina. A visionary creative, she works across media—painting, sculpture, design, and installations—to communicate with the world around her. She speaks through brushstrokes, colors, and textures, inviting conversation through her visual language.
Alex Stilber: A local native Ashevillian, Alex Stilber spent her early years in the studios of many of the local artists, growing her love for a multitude of mediums. She spent her teens living on farms, raising animals, and growing plants – leading her to delve into the study of horticulture and botany. Eventually merging her passion for nature and art, Stilber began creating her own natural dyes and inks and creating largely with repurposed or scavenged materials, emphasizing the potential to create with readily available resources.
Kelcey Loomer: Shaped by a lifelong love of picture books and novels, Kelcey Loomer’s narrative art is rooted in storytelling. She blends folklore, memory, and imagination to create a deep sense of place. At the heart of it all is an exploration of what it means to belong. Her mark-making process embraces uncertainty and intuition, leaving space for unexpected connections—and, of course, mystery.
Mark Harmon: Mark blends traditional and contemporary approaches to painting in his landscapes – the fruit of twenty years of evolution as a professional artist, that represent his unconventional background and adventurous life story. Born in Germany, the son of an art historian he received a classical education, studying icon painting at the National Academy of Fine Arts in the Slovak Republic.
Colton Dion: Born in the inspiring mountains of Asheville, North Carolina in 1996, Colton Dion’s artistic vision takes traditional landscapes into captivating new dimensions. His work is immediately recognizable for its distinctive sculptural forms, where the canvas itself seems to warp and undulate at times, drawing viewers into a unique traditional, surreal or sculptural experience.
How You Can Help
Purchase Artwork: Support these talented artists directly by buying their work on display in the Asheville Rising Tent. Proceeds go toward their recovery and the revitalization of Asheville’s River Arts District.
Donate via QR Codes: Throughout the show, QR codes make it easy to contribute to the Asheville Rising Fund, managed by Let’s Choose Love. Your donations will fund mini-grants to help artists rebuild their homes and studios.
Visit the Asheville Rising Booth Today!
Located in Booth #1241, the Asheville Rising Tent is more than an exhibit—it’s a testament to the power of community and creativity.
Support the artists.
Revitalize Asheville.
Be part of this extraordinary effort.
Shop, donate, and share the love. For more details, visit https://springnjgem.show/
Together, we can make a difference—one masterpiece at a time. 🎨✨