Art studio ready to Bloom after double floods and lockdown struggles
Two floods and a global pandemic would be enough to finish many fledgling businesses off, but an art studio is getting ready to bloom again.
Bloom, in Coleham, Shrewsbury, was devastated by the double flooding disaster in February, and before owner Kerry Jones had chance to repair the damage the coronavirus pandemic struck, forcing everyone into lockdown.
The studio, which runs art sessions with music, discovered the now famous young Shrewsbury artist Joe Whale, 10, aka Doodle Boy.
Kerry said: "The two floods which hit us a week apart in February this year were devastating.
“We salvaged what we could after the first flood this year but, the second took everything. We had to climb in through the fire escape to enter the building and wade through the water which filled the entire studio. It was destroyed."
During lockdown Kerry spent thousands repairing the studio and flood proofing it against future disaster. She has changed the lay out, removing doorways to limit the point of entry for any further floods and credits local builder Andy Saunders of APS Carpentry as having “fixed Coleham.”
“We had to throw all our new easels on the skip, screed the floor, basically a very costly repair and prevent job. Andy was amazing and worked tirelessly to bring us back to life. And the help of friends, family, perfect strangers and incredible gifts from organisations in the town helped put us back on our feet. The support was truly amazing.”
Kerry has restarted one-to-one sessions and will be doing sessions for group of 10 when it is safe to do so.
Joe, who appeared on CNN and after Kerry showed off his work on Instagram, was creating a mural for Bloom, which was badly damaged by the floods. He has been redoing the bottom section to return it to its former glory. Kerry added: "“I let Joe just go for it on a wall here in November last year. I think it was one of his first public original works of art, but unfortunately, the flood took some of his masterpiece. Joe has been kind enough to come back to fill in the bottom and return the wall to its former glory.
"What we have been through has been devastating, but we really need to get back to it and the studio is now an even better creative space to offer everyone the space to Bloom, which let’s face it, we could all do with right now! I’ve really missed all the children and I can’t wait to see and be working with them again!”
For more information or to book a session or party, please visit bloom-art.co.uk, email kerryjones@bloom-art.co.uk or call 07970 383135.
