One of the things I enjoy downtown on Fridays, just as much as drawing, is meeting the incredible people who work downtown.  On Fridays I get to chat with local shop owners as well as the men behind the designing and building of The Factory and its many shops, lofts, and soon…a Restaurant!

Last Friday, Wayne Covert, a regular visitor with those of us who draw in the Courtyard, offered to give us a little tour of what’s going on at the Restaurant.  Wayne is always hard at work making sure his designs of the building, the wrought-iron windows, etc. come to life just as he envisioned them.

To recount the many Ooohs and Ahhhs as we went through the place, would be unending. To say how delighted we were to meet Bryan, the artist behind the faux brick-work (which is truly an art in itself!) would pale to how we actually experienced the wonder of being told that the wall facades are “fake”.  And to describe meeting and talking to the restaurant’s owner David, would take far more than a blog post to recount it all.  Suffice it to say, David’s OTHER restaurant, Gianno’s in High Point, has received incredible awards and reviews.  He now plans on bringing a slightly different take on the High Point restaurant, here to Kernersville.  The attention to details from all of these men, is evident in everything from the made-to-look-old walls, the really-truly-ARE-old windows salvaged from the Factory dating to the late 1800’s, the deep reds and golds painted on the walls, the open wood-burning oven, and the repurposed old fire walls now being used as oh-so-cool doors in between dining rooms.

At the end of the morning, Wayne said, “Now you’ve been able to see some of my artwork, and some of Bryan’s artwork…” And I would add to that David’s as well.  Crafting a restaurant over a 14-month period must be a labor of love.  Knowing that he has done it once before makes it all the more remarkable.  And if Giada’s Italian food is anything even close to the beauty we saw being created in the actual restaurant itself, this will surely be a treat for Kernersville!

And I hope folks from ALL around will come to enjoy the beauty!  When the restaurant opens this fall, I hope you’ll consider going.  And allow yourself to start feasting BEFORE you’ve even brought a fork to your lips! Begin at the Courtyard, meander through the path to the front and sit for a bit outdoors in the quaint waiting area.  Touch the faux bricks as you go in, marvel at the walls and ancient windows.  Soak in the warm color palette of the walls.  Engage all your senses to take in the beauty around you.  David will thank you.  Bryan and Wayne will too!  And so will I!

Art is in the Brick and Mortar of our lives! If we will only take the time to see it!

P.S. Note the fat mourning dove sleeping on the wrought-iron railing.  I thought it looked awfully cozy for such a precarious perch!