A NEW cafe in Barnard Castle is to double up as a dale artist’s gallery.
When landlady Rima Chatterjee transformed the Old Well Inn’s Eat Well breakfast area into a cafe during the day, she decided it would make an ideal space to exhibit Greta Bridge artist Catherine Beaumont’s work.
The pair had met during an open mic session at the pub.
Mrs Chatterjee said: “She did some wonderful sketches of some of the people performing.
“I saw them on Facebook and asked to meet her. I love her style. I always feel artists don’t get enough recognition unless they are in the right place at the right time.
“I was keen to be able to give her some permanent space to showcase her art. When we refurbished the breakfast room, it seemed the ideal space.”
Miss Beaumont uses Indian ink to produce colourful
pictures of the Teesdale landscape, particularly buildings.
She said: “I just have a love for this landscape.
“It’s very whimsical. It’s not realistic – it’s more the essence of the building.”
Mrs Chatterjee added: “I think her art is as vibrant as she is.”
Paintings selected for the Eat Well cafe will be specific to Barnard Castle and feature buildings from the town.
Later in the spring the inn will feature an exhibition in the beer garden of the artist’s work featuring scenes from other parts of Teesdale. In line with the Old Well Inn’s names for its Drink Well pub, Eat Well cafe and Sleep Well rooms, the exhibition will be titled Ink Well.
