Now that the doors are officially open to the public, New Bedford's all-new $10 million National Club on Union Street isn't just showing off its food, cocktails and jaw-dropping interior. It's also showcasing the work of a young SouthCoast artist whose paintings now hang throughout the freshly-renovated space.
That artist is 24-year-old Mason Terra of Westport, and his colorful, expressive pieces are already catching the attention of everyone who's had a chance to preview the restaurant during its soft opening.
Terra, who teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu locally and works at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, said seeing his work on the walls of one of downtown's most anticipated new restaurants has been surreal.
Terra grew up in Westport after being born in Fall River and always had a creative streak. His father, an architect, was his first artistic influence, and Terra said he's been drawing since the moment he could hold a pencil.
During the pandemic - his senior year of high school - that spark grew into something bigger. With extra time on his hands, he dove deeper into drawing and eventually painting, experimenting with canvases from the clearance aisle of JOANN Fabric and Crafts before moving onto larger works and more ambitious projects.
That passion followed him to Bridgewater State University, where he switched majors from Anthropology to Fine Arts and continued developing his style, which he describes as abstract expressionism: "gestural, energetic, and drenched in color," he said.
The opportunity to display his work at the National Club came through a bit of perfect timing.
Terra was recommended by Lara Larenco of Hotel Papel, an organization that sends artists on residencies, including the one Terra will be attending in the Azores this winter. Larenco connected Terra with the National Club owners and their architect, who visited his Co-Creative studio in downtown New Bedford.
"They stopped by, checked out my stuff, and we just started brainstorming," Terra said. "It really came down to Lara thinking of me. I'm grateful she did."
The National Club is bold, bright and modern, and its owners wanted artwork to match.
"They wanted lots of color," Terra said. "They told me to do my thing but keep within the palette that matched the space."
Even for a seasoned painter, commissioned work can be tricky. Terra admitted that one of the early drafts wasn't quite what the owners envisioned.
"It can become a bit of a guessing game. I had done a lot of work, but it wasn't fully what they wanted," he said. "But it's paint. You can always paint over it. We talked it out and made it work."
The final result now hangs proudly inside the restaurant, and the National Club even commissioned Terra to create larger exterior pieces. When he visited the restaurant this week to see everything installed, he was blown away.
"It looks pretty cool on the wall," he said with a laugh. "I think it fits the space really well. Everyone's happy with how it came out."
With the National Club now officially featuring his work, Terra is gearing up for what's next. In January, he leaves for the Azores as part of a 10-day artist residency that hits especially close to home.
"My family's from the Azores, so it's perfect. I get to go back to my roots and make art," he said.
He's also planning more shows, local events and ongoing creative projects. For those who want to follow his work or see past pieces, Terra's website is masonnterra.com, and he keeps an active portfolio on Instagram.