Old Brick Workshop Gallery in Wellington opens for exhibition

The Old Brick Workshop Gallery in Wellington was set to open and exhibit the work of 12 artists before the fire.

The fire, which started at 11.36am on Sunday (September 6), was at South West Computer Recycling Ltd in Poole Trading Estate in Nynehead Road, Wellington.

The blaze happened over two weeks ago in a building next door

Next door was Ms Cosserat’s gallery.

Ms Cosserat said: “The fire was just outside the window with gallons of water pouring onto it from a crane above and more hoses from the ground as I was removing art work from the upstairs studio closest to the blaze.

“It was a total race against time to get the gallery ready for the 19th September.

“Windows have already been boarded up and the drainage pipes have been replaced.

“Water damage, from the hoses that flooded the gallery, is the main thing to sort out before the exhibition.

“With two large dehumidifiers going full time and a lot of floor scrubbing to remove the soot I was in a position to hang the work safely.

“Once the exhibition is over the whole gallery will have to be redecorated but for now a few tide lines will have to stay.

“Although most of this year’s festival is online I just feel that lots of people are so keen to get out and see some real art in a real gallery that it is important that we do our best to get this exhibition open.”

Alison worked hard to clean before opening the gallery

The exhibition will include work by Diana Pilcher, James Marsden, Andy Baker, Genevieve Murray, Alison Cosserat, Anna Newland Hooper, Annie Musgrove, Claire Western, Tina Hill, Judy Crosher, Sophie Jennings and Bernadette Jones.

It will run until October 4 and is open daily from 10am until 5pm.

For more details email alison@theoldbrickworkshop.com

Alison is glad to be opening for Somerset Open Studios