Seraphim Smith, local artist responsible for bread baking sale. Photo: Facebook.

Art 105 owner Brandon Potter had thousands of dollars in damages to his building on Blount Street recently because of vandalism. On three different nights, the perpetrators threw rocks at the doors and windows of his downtown building. While the police have identified the vandals, the destruction has led to three separate insurance claims, each with a $1,000 deductible. Local artist Seraphim Smith, who has a studio at Art 105, is holding a bread baking sale to help cover the cost of the deductibles.

“$3,000 is a lot of money for anyone to come up with,” said Smith. “Especially for a small business.”

Smith has pledged to bake 300 loaves of bread that he will sell for $10 a piece with the proceeds going to Potter to help cover the cost of the deductibles. Smith already has volunteers to help with the baking, and the distributing of the bread. Pick up is on Saturday, February 25, 2023, between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

Not long after Smith made a post on social media of his intent to help Potter, the community showed their support to the idea when Smith announced the ingredients cost of making the bread has been covered. St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Kinston has permitted Smith to use the three commercial ovens in their kitchen for the bread baking.

“My friend Brandon has worked with me on various projects, and he gives to people all the time,” said Smith. “Now we all can help him.”

Any excess funds received from the bread baking sale will be donated to The Gate of Lenoir County. Seraphim Smith is taking pledges to purchase loaves through his Facebook page. When commenters asked how they can support the bread baking sale without purchasing bread, Smith gave them Potter’s Venmo @Brandon-Potter-72.