Express & Star

Diners get taste of art at Brierley Hill restaurant

Imagine eating your Cannelloni di Vitello - or your spaghetti bolognaise - next to this masterpiece.

Published
Artist Geoff Tristram, right, and restaurant co-owner Danny Koliqi in front the spectacular ‘Michelangelo’ mural

Stourbridge artist Geoff Tristram has hand-painted a monumental replica of the hands from Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam on the wall of a cosy Italian restaurant in Brierley Hill.

The interior of II Michelangelo, in High Street, Brockmoor, now looks nothing like the average restaurant-goer could ever imagine, with all four walls baring a different painting in keeping with the eatery's theme.

Co-owner of the restaurant Danny Koliqi called it a 'masterpiece'.

Geoff has also painted the wall in the Weston-super-Mare branch of the restaurant too

He said: "We've had people travel to see it from 50-60 miles. I think it looks amazing.

"It took Geoff about 18 days just to do one picture but we stayed open. He worked while people were here."

Geoff, who is 63 years-old and from Wollaston, has been painting most of his life and takes immense pride in his work.

He also paints cartoons, caricatures, stamps, puzzles, greetings cards, portraits and more.

Geoff Tristram, who has hand painted a huge replica of the hands from Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam on the wall of Il Michelangelo restaurant

As well as Brierley Hill, Michaelangelo II has a restaurant in Weston-super-Mare which Geoff has also decorated the inside of.

He said he worked eight hour days for seven weeks to finish the creation.

He said: "You get what you put in with this. If you expect people to go 'wow' then you have to put the time in for them to appreciate it. I'm shattered now."