Tree Gallery blossoms after flood

Co-owner of Tree Gallery Emma Camden with Vinnie the dog. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

The last of the galleries in the Taupo Quay area that were damaged in the June floods has re-opened.

Tree Gallery officially re-opened on Thursday, nearly four months to the day since half a metre of water and several inches of mud from the flooded Whanganui River inundated the building.

Owned by Wanganui glass artists Emma Camden and David Murray, Tree sells ceramics and photography from artists throughout the country, including Richard Parker, Emma Bass, Katherine Smyth, and Wanganui's Aaron Scythe.

Ms Camden said on June 20, after heavy rain, civil defence had warned of the floods coming, so she and Mr Murray packed up the gallery.

Everything was moved into the storeroom behind the gallery - unfortunately this was the very worst thing they could have done.

"What we didn't realise was that the floodwaters came in from the Taupo Quay side of the building. It came in with such force that things were knocked over - it was a mess," Ms Camdem said

None of the artists' work was damaged and Ms Camden said none of the artists had withdrawn from the gallery since the floods.

Ms Camden said while the floods were a horrible experience to go through, they had received a lot of support. They were amazed by the assistance offered by friends and family during the clean-up period, particularly the members of Ms Camden's roller derby club, the West Coast Bombers.

A grant from the Wanganui District Council's mayoral relief fund helped Ms Camden and Mr Murray re-open Tree's doors again.

Ms Camden said they had learned one valuable lesson from the floods.

"We will be flooded again, but next time we will be far more prepared for them," she said

Starting this weekend, Tree will be open 10am-2pm, Thursday-Saturday.

Visit www.treeobjectspace.com.