This month in Gulfport, a new book and art exhibit were simultaneously unveiled to the public and at the center of it all is the local community and how they rallied together during the days, weeks and months following Hurricane s Helene and Milton My husband and I were displaced after Helene, said artist Lynn Taylor. Ive always been a writer and writing has helped me make sense of the world and I thought maybe this would not only inform people who hadnt gone through the experience but maybe provide some healing for those who did. So Taylor put out a call to the community to share photos, artwork, and written submissions about the storms, and she compiled them all into one book, Gulfport Rising. Every entry just told the story of our town, said Taylor. Then, Gulfport Artist and fellow hurricane victim, Paula Roy, had the idea to turn artwork inspired by the storm into an actual art exhibit called, After the Storm, currently on display at the Hickman Theater. Trying to find those pieces of beauty in devastation, said Roy. Paula is especially fond of her painting of the Gulfport Pier. The landing for the pier had fallen into the water and this beautiful fluorescent green moss started growing on it and I came by and thought, 'I need to paint that,' said Roy. Fellow artist Elana Joy decided to focus her time and creativity on the homes that had to be demolished. There is something about it that really captures the human experience and the whole array of emotions which I think is important and its archival, like those houses dont exist anymore, so its just a unique way to pay homage to them, said Joy. The exhibit After the Storm runs through December 24. As for the book, Gulfport Rising, it can be purchased at the Gabber Newspaper located at 2908 Beach Blvd. South, Gulfport. We havent made any final decisions, but we are reviewing some local charities that we would like to give a portion of the proceeds to, said Taylor. ...read more read less