Exploring Life & Business with Nathaniel Harris of Woodcuts Gallery and Framing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathaniel Harris. Them and their team share their story with us below:

Woodcuts was founded 30 + years ago by an engineer who loves woodworking, Nathaniel Harris. Raised in the hustle and bustle of Historic North Nashville, Nathaniel (affectionately called Nate) started his business amongst skeptics.

Nate’s love for woodworking began as a child. Unfortunately, his father, who was a contractor, passed away when Nathaniel was 8 years old, but not before he passed along his love for entrepreneurship to his youngest son. After graduating from Tennessee State University and beginning a burgeoning career in engineering, Nate still gravitated toward woodworking. He began picture framing and did some cabinet making for Genesco’s Jarman shoe stores after hours. His framing business started thriving when his wife, Brenda, started getting her cross-stitch artwork framed and showing them to her co-workers. They all started to request framing, and word started to spread. What had started out as a woodworking shop in his garage, spread to the living room, but when it started to take over the kitchen, his wife suggested he find a retail location to truly expand his business.

Woodcuts strives to change the course of economic development on Jefferson Street. Thirty plus years ago we opened our doors with hopes of becoming not only a viable business, but a place where we could offer top notch fine art and quality framing services. That hope has become a reality.

Nate, who was the first president of Jefferson United Merchants Partnership (J.U.M.P) has used his own workspace as an example of just what can be done with the old buildings, many vacant, others in disrepair. Woodcuts strives to change the course of economic development on Jefferson Street. Over the years, Nate and his gallery have received recognition locally from J.U.M.P, NAACP, and the Greater Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce.

Woodcuts has also received national recognition from Décor and Upscale Magazines. The gallery and frame shop provides customers with a complete artistic experience. Whether you’re looking for artwork or framing services Woodcuts is available to suit your artistic needs. When customers walk into the gallery, they will find exclusive originals as well as framed limited edition artwork, and prints. Woodcuts famous tagline is “Woodcuts is A Cut Above the Rest.” With such a rich history, you don’t have to do much research to find out why.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When looking for a location for his new venture, he didn’t have to look far. What others saw as a vacant dilapidated building, Nate envisioned a gem. Once a building that people could go to for delicious hamburgers, 1613 Jefferson had been reduced to a refuge for drug addicts, and was riddled with needles and trash. Nevertheless, Nathaniel had a vision to create a business in the heart of the Neighborhood that he loved. Using his construction background and experience as a draftsman, he worked nights and weekends with the help of his wife, daughter, and other family members to get the building ready for business.

After depleting his retirement account, securing funding from the Nashville Citizen’s Bank, and with help from Nashville Minority Business Development Center, he was “All In”. Nate was able to secure an agreement with Fisk University to lease the building long term. He was given a strict timeline. It was May 1987, and he only had until September to have the work completed and his business open. He was able to rise to the challenge and on September 23, 1987, Woodcuts Gallery opened to the public.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Art Gallery:
When visitors walk into our gallery, they will find an exclusive originals area filled with the works of local as well as nationally known artists. For those not in the market for original art, there are bins full of a variety of open edition prints as well as limited edition serigraphs and giclée’s by African-American artists. Although ethnic art is prevalent inside the gallery, there are many abstracts and skylines that would add the perfect touch to any office or home décor.

Custom Framing Services:
Woodcuts adds its own unique twist to the custom framing market. All of our framing orders are completed “in-house” so our turn around time is only 1 week. Find the perfect match to your piece by choosing from hundreds of framing and matting selections.

Items that we specialize in framing include, but are not limited to:

– Jerseys (Football, Basketball, Hockey, etc)
– Photo/Document Collage
– Canvas Stretching and Framing
– Shadow Boxes (Flags, Cutting board, Ceramics, etc.)

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
We speculate that customers will have more time to frame artwork and redecorate due to the pandemic. With that said, framing supplies have significantly went up in cost.

In the future, we believe people will want to frame more affordable artwork and memorabilia items.

Contact Info:

• Email: woodcutsartgallery@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.woodcutsgalleryandframing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodcutsgallery
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/woodcutsgallery
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/woodcuts-gallery-and-framing-nashville