ASHEVILLE, N.C., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Photographs captured by Michael Freas for Asheville nonprofit ArtsvilleUSA have been selected by the Chief Scientist of the National Weather Service (NWS) for presentation at the upcoming Esri User Conference, a premier event in environmental science and geospatial technology. Freas’s Hurricane Helene images will be featured in the Plenary Session to illustrate the real-world impacts of severe weather and emphasize how cutting-edge technology will improve public safety.
The selection underscores the vital role local artists play in documenting history and responding to natural disasters and is especially meaningful for Freas, whose uncle helped research and write the Clean Air Act.
In the days following Helene, one of the deadliest inland hurricanes on record, NOAA and National Weather Service photographers were unable to reach Western North Carolina. Destroyed roads, collapsed infrastructure, and the near-total loss of cell and internet service made coordination impossible.
Freas, based in Asheville, was already on the ground. Drawing on instincts honed during his years weathering hurricanes in Florida, he photographed the surging French Broad River, a man clinging to an overturned shipping container awaiting rescue, veterans salvaging belongings from flooded homes on Tunnel Road, and artists confronting the wreckage of their life’s work in Asheville’s famed River Arts District, where an estimated 80–90% of more than 300 studios and galleries were affected. His lens captured both the magnitude of destruction and the significant capacity for human resilience.
“These photos aren’t just images,” said Freas. “Each one shows something real: what our community went through and the sheer power of nature.”
Chief Scientist Monica Youngman, of NOAA’s Asheville office, said of the selection, “Freas’s work captures both the scale and the humanity of the disaster in a way statistics alone can’t.” Her presentation at the plenary will use Freas’s images to highlight how people often can’t imagine the real-world impact of extreme weather until it’s too late and how the NWS is leveraging advanced technologies to bridge that gap to save lives during future extreme weather events.
“ArtsvilleUSA exists to amplify the voices of Western North Carolina artists, and this project exemplifies why our work matters,” said ArtsvilleUSA Executive Director Elise Wilson. “Michael’s photographs will impact the scientists and leaders who shape how we respond to catastrophic weather for years to come. That’s the power of art.”
Freas’s images were first exhibited by ArtsvilleUSA in the show Hurricane Helene: From the Beginning, which opened in December 2024 at the Ferguson Family YMCA in Candler, NC. It was the first-ever art retrospective dedicated to Hurricane Helene photography. The full exhibition can be viewed virtually on ArtsvilleUSA.com here. Michael’s personal experience documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the hurdles to recovery are discussed in his guest appearance on the ArtsvilleUSA podcast here.
Click here to register for digital access to the Esri User Conference to view the plenary presentation.
Click here to download exhibition photos and the full press release.
About ArtsvilleUSA
ArtsvilleUSA is an Asheville-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the arts community of Western North Carolina. Through exhibitions, podcasts, and storytelling, ArtsvilleUSA amplifies the voices of local artists and arts organizations, celebrating both traditional crafts and contemporary makers from Asheville galleries to rural studios and mountain communities. ArtsvilleUSA is a subsidiary of Arterial, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit media platform committed to amplifying art worldwide. Learn more at ArtsvilleUSA.com or sign up for our newsletter.
About Michael Freas
Michael Freas is an Asheville-based photojournalist recognized for his ability to capture raw emotion and authentic human stories. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Popsugar, The Huffington Post, and more. Learn more at freasframes.com.
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