Joining forces to collaborate on a series of creative portraits depicting some of Arulu’s hand-made masks, the duo have most recently worked in areas impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Helene using the Appalachian Black Bear Spirit Mask. This mask represents the Flood Spirit, and her name is Helene.
House of Arulu &
Jungle Branch
The Flood Spirit, Helene portrait series is a form of processing the aftermath of the storm. The bear wandering spaces of devastation are meant to be reminiscent of polar bears roaming their melting arctic homes.
While this project is ongoing, locations photographed thus far include Asheville’s River Arts District, Chimney Rock, along the shores of the French Broad River, and the highway 9 waterfall. Nearing one year after Helene, the duo plans to visit other areas as a way to show the recovery progress, or lack there of, in a region forgotten.
Flood Spirit, Helene
Various prints of the Bear are available for sale, with Arulu and Mike splitting profits three ways - amongst themselves and donating the last third to local disaster relief organization Grassroots AID Partnership.
Each artist has a variety of works available for sale at all market events as well as the Rotating Gallery at Cooperative Coffee in West Asheville.
Prints For Sale
Arulu will be sharing her mask-making skills at the Caravan Art Bazaar Workshop Series event in October.
This workshop is a BIPOC-only affinity space experience, with very limited availability. Visit the Workshop page on our website for more information and registration.
Mask Making Workshop
Check out our upcoming
Market Events
ART 4 AID sales are split 80% to the artist and 20% to Grassroots AID Partnership. Learn more about GAP and how they continue to provide positive impact and support throughout Western North Carolina following the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene