Glass artist Sheri Hargrove has called the beautiful Texas island of Port Aransas her home for more than 12 years. Her shop, Port A Glass, has become a well known fixture in downtown Port “A”. Friends describe Sheri as “an incredibly generous human being who would never ask for assistance – instead, Sheri would be the first to give it.” It turns out that Sheri herself would need help when disaster struck this September.
When Hurricane Harvey rolled in, Sheri’s shop and studio were directly in the line of the storm’s landfall. Her home and business were destroyed all at once with severe damage after a storm surge of 5 feet of storm caused devastating flooding. Sheri had business insurance, but it didn’t cover flood damage and loss due to the area in which her business is located.
When Sheri returned home after evacuating to friends in San Antonio, her home had no walls or ceiling. While her artwork mostly survived, she lost all of her equipment including: three kilns, three saws, a compressor and two drill presses, along with her gallery and teaching space located in her studio-garage. For now, Port A Glass is temporarily closed and the road to recovery will be laborious and expensive. “Port A Glass is going to rebuild,” Sheri explains. “It’s just going to take some time and money.”
CERF+ and the glass art community have been among the first to provide help. Her local community and friends started a gofundme fundraiser and manufacturers of glass equipment are stepping up to help as well with donated materials and discounts on supplies.
For Sheri, “The trauma of Hurricane Harvey comes in waves.” She’s constantly reminded that the recovery and rebuilding process is a marathon and not a sprint. “I’ve been brought to tears of joy so many times throughout this ordeal by the beautiful, giving, loving spirit of my fellow Americans. I’m looking forward to the day when I can turn all of my energy back into my artwork. It’s only because of the kindness of friends, colleagues, and strangers that I am able to think of the future.”
