Interview with Julie Bell
Dublin Core
Title
Interview with Julie Bell
Description
Julie Bell, artist and co-owner of Trackside Studios in Asheville’s River Arts District, was interviewed by Buncombe County Special Collections Librarian Carissa Pfeiffer on December 15, 2025. This interview took place at Blue Ridge Public Radio and was conducted as part of the Come Hell or High Water Oral History Project for Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
Bell describes how she initially underestimated the storm, based on past experiences with hurricanes [00:05:00]. She was in Texas when Helene hit Asheville, and coordinated aid remotely while serving as River Arts District Association Foundation president [00:10:47] before returning and working together with fellow artists to support one another [00:16:27] and participating in cleaning and rebuilding Trackside Studios [00:27:14] in preparation for a successful reopening in early December which generated overwhelming community support and sales to sustain the business [00:31:52]. Bell concludes by reflecting on her hopes for the future of the RAD [00:42:02], lessons learned from the flood [00:44:48], and the importance of community connections to build collective resilience [00:52:19].
Narrator portraits depict Julie in her art studio in the River Arts District, January 5, 2026.
Bell describes how she initially underestimated the storm, based on past experiences with hurricanes [00:05:00]. She was in Texas when Helene hit Asheville, and coordinated aid remotely while serving as River Arts District Association Foundation president [00:10:47] before returning and working together with fellow artists to support one another [00:16:27] and participating in cleaning and rebuilding Trackside Studios [00:27:14] in preparation for a successful reopening in early December which generated overwhelming community support and sales to sustain the business [00:31:52]. Bell concludes by reflecting on her hopes for the future of the RAD [00:42:02], lessons learned from the flood [00:44:48], and the importance of community connections to build collective resilience [00:52:19].
Narrator portraits depict Julie in her art studio in the River Arts District, January 5, 2026.
Date
Rights
Interview copyright Julie Bell and Buncombe County Special Collections. Narrator portraits copyright Bill Green Photography.
Format
Language
English
Identifier
MS456.002M
Extent
1 digital audio recording (0:54:57); 1 transcript (23 pages); 2 digital photographs
Oral History Item Type Metadata
Duration
00:54:47
Interviewer
Carissa Pfeiffer
Interviewee
Julie Bell
Collection
Citation
Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections, “Interview with Julie Bell,” Come Hell or High Water Community Memory Project, accessed May 11, 2026, https://helenehistory.omeka.net/items/show/1368.