Brainerd Tunnel mapFor this coastal transplant, mountains are still a little magical to me even after seven months in Chattanooga. It’s no surprise that when I get the chance to go through a tunnel (and try to hold my breath and make a wish) I take it. I often travel Brainerd Road through to East Brainerd for work, and always wanted to stop on the other side of the tunnel where the Brainerd Art District is taking root. I stopped one rainy afternoon and was not disappointed with what I found.
1. Gannon Art Center
3250 Brainerd Road, 622-8236
It’s hard to make sense of what Gannon Art Center is when you walk through the back door. There are random prints, framed diplomas and art lining the walls. To your right, a wall of frame corners, at least 100, are attached in a haphazard pattern. To the left, a small room with empty frames hanging on the wall, some stacked-all unique.
It’s been that way for 43 years, says Lisa Norris who has worked there off and on since high school. “We have generations of families who come in here for custom framing,” Norris says. “We’re also an art gallery and we do offer some art supplies, but really people come here for the framing.”
As I wander around the store, admiring some vintage pastel pencils and ink tips, Lisa helps a customer frame her son’s diploma. Using garnet and black silk mattes, an ornate frame and even a little line of gold inset, the paper diploma becomes a regal piece of art to be proud of for years to come.