By Connie Leonard

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- Help is on the way for several Louisville artists who lost their home and a longtime companion in a fire this weekend. Fire officials are still trying to determine what caused the three-alarm blaze in the 900 block of Shelby Parkway Saturday. WAVE 3's Connie Leonard reports that planning for several fundraisers is under way to help those artists who lost everything get back on their feet.

There are memories of a street filled with neighbors who were like family, talented young artists who for seven years lived and worked and created together through an underground art movement known as LAVA House. 

Co-founder Aron Conaway told WAVE 3 News, "It's really about the process and everybody having a tight community. We didn't have cubicles around each other, and it wasn't sterile." 

LAVA House artist Hannah Cameron added: "If I hadn't met everybody who lived and worked here -- we had some crazy stories, but most just amazing -- and everybody had the most amazing opportunities here."

While the memories will always remain, everything else -- including hundreds of pieces of art and a beloved dog named Helvis -- was lost to raging flames. 

"Everybody's still in shock and it's hard to even come to grasp with what's really happened," Cameron said.

Conaway's wife, Hallie Jones, says the financial loss is also great. "The amount of equipment that we had, hundreds of thousand of dollars were lost." 

But, the most devastating loss didn't come by way of a paintbrush or camera. A cherished friend, Bill Christie, who lived in the warehouse, didn't make it out alive.

"I've been thinking about Bill in such a deep way that I forget about the warehouse," Conaway said. 

Conaway said Christie, a retired Navy officer, was a big kid who took care of them and everyone else at LAVA House -- even their dog, Disco.

Now Conaway and Jones are working through their grief by documenting Christie's life, the LAVA House and the fire on their website as well as giving the community information about local fundraisers to try and help the artists who lost their life's work and their home. 

"We're all really going to have to cope with the fact that our lives are changing completely," Conaway said.

Third Street Dive held the first of several fundraisers Monday night. Wick's Pizza, Baxter Bar and the Brickhouse Community Center are also hosting events to help the artists in the next few weeks.

Click here to find out more about upcoming fundraisers.

Online Reporter:  Connie Leonard

Online Producer: Charles Gazaway