S. Tucker Cooke Gallery
Exhibition
Looking Back to Move Forward
Facilitated By
Carrie Tomberlin and Eric Tomberlin
Art & Art History
Exhibition on view September 8 - October 5, 2025
S. Tucker Cooke Gallery, Owen Hall
Gallery hours: 9:00 am - 6 pm daily
In response to Hurricane Helene, many Art students, faculty, and alumni created work addressing both the devastation and the ongoing recovery—compelled to investigate, reflect, mourn, and raise awareness of the many issues the storm revealed.
To help shape the exhibition’s narrative, faculty engaged in sustainability efforts across campus were invited to select works that together tell the story of Helene and highlight the broader impacts of climate change.
Jurors:
Ashley Case, Lecturer of Environmental Science
Casey King, Director of Sustainability, Lecturer of Environmental Science
Kathleen Lawlor, Economics and Director of the Masters in Environmental Resilience
Jen Rhode Ward, Professor of Biology
Exhibition Curators:
Carrie Tomberlin, Gallery Director and Senior Lecturer of Art, Photography
Eric Tomberlin, Associate Professor of Art, Photography
Events:
Tuesday, September 23 in S. Tucker Cooke Gallery, Owen Hall
5:00 - 7:00 pm: Opening reception; Refreshments will be provided
Friday, September 27, Owen 102
1:30-2:00 (15-20 min talk w/ 10-15 min for Q&A): Ashley Case, "Applying ecological solutions after Helene with students and working professionals through Community Engaged Learning (CEL)"
2:00-2:15 (5-10 min talk w/ 5-10 min for Q&A): Casey King, "The McCullough Fellowship and Research at UNCA in Support of Resilience after Hurricane Helene"
2:15-2:30 (5-10 min talk w/ 5-10 min for Q&A):Kathleen Lawlor, "Learn About UNCA's New Master of Science in Environmental Resilience
Carrie Tomberlin received her MFA in photography from Clemson University and her BA in Visual Art and Creative Writing from Eckerd College. With a background in the liberal arts, Carrie enjoys teaching classes for the Department of Art and Art History, the Arts and Ideas Program, and the Sustainability Certificate at UNC Asheville where she serves as Senior Lecturer of Art and Gallery Director. Carrie’s photography, which focuses on the connection between social and environmental issues, is regularly exhibited nationally and internationally. Prior to her teaching career, she worked with several non-profit organizations including the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.
Associate Professor of Art, Eric Tomberlin, joined UNC Asheville in 2010 and is the head of the photography concentration. Prior to his academic career, Eric worked for a number of years as an editorial photographer in New York City before moving to India, where he became a founding faculty member at the first photography school on the subcontinent. Eric received his Master’s of Fine Arts from the University of Texas, Austin and has exhibited his photography throughout the United States and internationally. Throughout his career, Eric has worked on projects focusing on that raise environmental awareness, most recently focusing on climate change.
Participating Artists:
Natalie Akins, Lena Angrist, Samuel Baggett, Jaelyn Battles, Emma Belmonte, Julian Bendt, Grace Carol Bomer, George Bundrick, Harley Burns, Malcolm Buroughs, Fiona Carlone, Phoebe Carnes, Virginia Derryberry, Yasmin Elmore, George Etheredge, Lars Fusco, Drew Gaddis, Shanna Glawson, Carla Grunwell, Sarah Harney, Laila Hernandez, Samuel Caleb Johnson, Tiffany Jones, Neeta Kepchar, Liv Knight, Catherine Latham, Laura Lago, Kristen Lopez, Dylan Machi, Jackson Martin, Jessica Martin, Mcavoy McFadden, Kyndle Monk, Elizeth Morales Garcia, Emily Moosbrugger, Dawson Mims, Molly Newburger, Merlin Nieto, Jodi O’Hara, Naia Renwick, Leslie Rosenberg, Matthew Solberg, Elijah Strongheart, Carrie Tomberlin, Eric Tomberlin, Roddie Trotter, George Terry McDonald, Chad Truitt, Allison Ward, Matt West, Bog Willis, November Woditschka, Asana Usher