- March 6, 2025
Jenica Frederickson's paintings are covered in shower curtains and duct tape to protect them from possible damage from Hurricane Irma. Photo courtesy of Jenica Frederickson
A before photo of Jenica Frederickson's favorite piece of art, which due to its size and weight cannot be moved, but rather just covered. Photo courtesy of Jenica Frederickson
The after photo of Jenica Frederickson's favorite painting, which she covered with shower curtains and duct tape to protect it the best she can from water damage. Photo courtesy of Jenica Frederickson
Jenica Frederickson has worked to cover a few hundred paintings she's made over the last nine years. Photo courtesy of Jenica Frederickson
After Jenica (Hen) Frederickson and her family boarded up their Palm Coast home in the B section and gathered supplies, there were a couple hundred other things she had to worry about — nine years worth of paintings.
Shower curtains and duct tape became necessities as Frederickson took down her paintings and sealed them to prevent water damage in case Hurricane Irma takes a toll on their house.
While she didn’t cover her paintings in preparation for Hurricane Matthew in Oct. 2016, Frederickson isn’t taking any chances with Irma. The storm is now a category 3 with maximum sustained winds at 125 mph, according to the 1 p.m. advisory from the Weather Channel. Irma is expected to regain strength before slamming South Florida and moving up the western coast if it stays on its current predicted path, according to the National Hurricane Center.
“This year everything has got to go into the center (of the house) where the people are going to be because that’s where it’s going to be the safest,” she said.
Frederickson is hopeful that Irma won’t cause her house to flood, as Hurricane Matthew didn’t cause damage to their home last year.
“We’re off the coast in the B section, so we shouldn’t have any flooding,’” she said. “But you do think about, ‘Gosh, what if you did?’ You know, trying to protect your livelihood.”
Frederickson wasn’t able to secure her favorite piece of art though — a photo mural on a dining room table that seats eight. Due to its size and weight, she said it’ll just have to be covered with shower curtains and duct tape where it sits, instead of being moved to the center of the home.
Frederickson will be hunkering down with her parents, her college-aged daughter, her daughter’s boyfriend and their Shih Tzu Terrier, Sr. Benedict of Chadwick.
