Publisher turned restauranteur uses venue to showcase her own work
If you’re a card and wrap publisher needing artwork for your new restaurant venture, what’s better than turning the venue into a showcase for your own creativity!
And that just what Wendy Bell has done at the newly-launched Terrace in her home town of Shrewsbury, which she’s running with husband James Yurky, and the livery and decoration is bespoke versions of her alcohol ink art.
Usually working on a smaller scale adorning her greeting cards and wrap for Wendy Bell Designs, the artist has gone big with a showstopper piece for above the bar at the riverfront charcoal grill and cocktail lounge.
“Who says good things come in small packages,” Wendy told PG Buzz. “This bespoke wall art entitled Perseverance is big, bold, and beautiful in black and gold – just don’t underestimate its weight, it’s a real heavy hitter!
“Creating the right piece of artwork for the Terrace wasn’t easy, but I think I got it right, and I’ve photographed sections of the art and turned them into the backgrounds for our menus – and designed our logo!”
The original piece was made using alcohol inks on Yupo synthetic paper and Wendy can be seen at work on it in the video below.
Wendy has also branched out to use her creative pieces on stationery, silk scarves, and now costume jewellery, as well as her staples of gift wrap and greeting cards – and admits the inspiration for using her artistic talents at the Terrace came during a chat with PG Buzz at Top Drawer back in January when the restaurant was still in the early planning stages.
Having opened the Terrace in the summer she laughed: “We’re a riverside restaurant with lounge bar and we are entirely outdoors only, which seems utterly bonkers given the horrendous weather we’ve had this summer!
“All of our food is cooked over charcoal. Everything is locally sourced wherever possible and we only use fresh ingredients – no freezers, no microwaves, no ovens.”
The Terrace has just re-opened after the latest project of putting on a winter roof and glass sides plus adding heaters with the mini project supposed to last four days but ending up taking three weeks.
James, who often helps Wendy out at trade shows, added: “It seemed like a good idea to open a restaurant as well as the publishing side and my One Consulting business – why not!”
