Vincent Johnson
   Staff Writer

Artist and business owner Jeff Beck has been involved in the Greensboro art scene for over a decade. Over the years he has done a lot to contribute to the local culture, including painting murals all over the city, three of which are still on display. His work can be seen on the wall at the intersection of Friendly Avenue and Mendenhall Street, the tunnel at Windsor Recreation Center and at the Common Grounds Coffee Shop.

However, Jeff Beck is far more than just a painter. Last Saturday he held the grand opening of his new business, Urban Grinders Art and Coffeehouse, a local art and coffee shop located downtown at 116 North Elm Street.

“I’ve been an artist for my whole life,” Beck told The Carolinian. “I received my degree in graphic design, but while I was working I began to paint as well. I did my first art show in Chapel Hill about five years ago and ever since then I fell in love with it.”

Inspired by a desire to cultivate a stronger urban art culture in Greensboro, Beck began planning for Urban Grinders in February with his friend Marcus Moore.

“I’ve been friends with Marcus for over 20 years. We’re both artists and always talked about collaborating on a project. So when I got the idea for Urban Grinders I hit him up, then things went from ‘0 to 100’ in like five seconds,” Beck laughed.

Located in the heart of downtown Greensboro, Urban Grinders exudes an energy that is colorful and rich. “We bought the space and began customization back in May. The previous owners ran a jewelry store, and we were already pretty happy with the layout,” Beck stated.

The building has two floors. The first is a lounge area. There is a counter where customers can order coffee, juice, homemade cookies and other items. There are seats and tables where people can eat, socialize and use their laptops. There are a couple of couches and two pillars that keep the roof elevated.

Perhaps the most unique thing about the first floor is the open floor space left for musicians and bands to set up and perform.

“I’m into all different types of music,” Beck said. “We’re going to have different bands and musicians playing on the first Friday of every month.”

The second floor is where visitors will find the art gallery. The art on display last Saturday was a collection of works from Winston-Salem based artist, Zac Trainor, who is a friend of Jeff Beck.

His style was well-rounded and highly conceptual. The collection on display included paintings, a laminated sketch book and a digital audio-visual piece presented on a desk top screen. With the prices attached, it was clear that the art pieces were for sale.

Urban Grinders is also ran by co-owners Marcus Moore and Adrian Wilson.

“We’d been talking about collaborating on a project like this for a while, and now things have finally come to fruition,” Beck explained.

One of Beck’s goals for Urban Grinders is to expand the urban art scene in Greensboro. “I’ve been an artist here in Greensboro for a while, and I’ve noticed that the culture here for urban art isn’t as respected as the culture for ‘fine art.’

I just wanted to create a place for urban art to flourish. And I wanted to create an atmosphere that would help stimulate creativity within the community,” Beck reflected.

It is safe to say that Beck is well on his way to attaining his goal.

Saturday’s turn-out was successful, as there was a nice, steady flow of people coming and going. The building remained pretty full throughout the day.

Jeff Beck also spoke on the vital role that street art plays within the urban community,

“I think street art is very important to our communities,” Beck said. “I’ve seen art transform dark, dangerous places into beautiful places. When you paint murals, what you’re doing is beautifying the community. This helps people take pride in their communities, and ultimately stimulates more positive energy.”

Urban Grinders is now open for business. The shop has music, art and coffee.

It will also be involved in future music festivals.

Individuals who have an appreciation for any of these things will surely enjoy a trip to Urban Grinders.