Activity abounds inside Elim’s Art Concepts and Decorative Designs, as owner Harold Hart and his brother Rodney work to complete a project for a local college. The business is chock full of frames, artwork and all the accoutrements of their crafts. 

“It was back in 2007. There was a vendor who used to have this space here in the medical mall and that business closed. I decided to purchase it.” 

“I saw how photographs weren’t being preserved correctly, or how framing pictures wasn’t well done. The work was… well, seemingly just slapped together. And you could tell it wasn’t going to hold up over time,” said Hart. “I started studying preservation. Got a lot of consultation from outside sources. I read, attended workshops and trade shows. I even watched YouTube videos. Anything to learn.” 

He pauses briefly to greet one of the many passersby, putting in the miles, walking the long concourses at the Jackson Medical Mall.

“And learn I did. I’ll tell you this,” Hart states, raising a finger to punctuate his point. “What I didn’t know and came to realize is how huge and dynamic this field is. So much goes into framing and restoration. And I discovered there was so much need out there.”

“I brought all that knowledge to one place. It grew steadily and so well because there was such a need in this community. Word spread. And the product speaks for itself. People started bringing their historical documents and family photos for proper framing at reasonable prices. Artists and photographers bring their work here too. That’s important because it brings a lot of talent together. It’s a great way to network.”

Hart takes off his suit jacket, looks around his shop and smiles at his brother, clapping him on the shoulder. 

“Elim means, ‘God’s sweet land,’ ” Hart explains. “I chose the name Elim after reading scripture. I thought, what could bestow a blessing on this place and the community?” 

He smiles, recalling his “lightbulb moment.”

“If necessity is the mother of all creation, then I can tell you this, what I have here was created out of a need I didn’t even know existed. What a blessing that is.” 

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Elim’s Art Concepts and Decorative Designs

by Vickie King, Mississippi Today
May 27, 2023

<h1>Elim’s Art Concepts and Decorative Designs</h1> <p class="byline">by Vickie King, Mississippi Today <br />May 27, 2023</p> <p>Activity abounds inside Elim's Art Concepts and Decorative Designs, as owner Harold Hart and his brother Rodney work to complete a project for a local college. The business is chock full of frames, artwork and all the accoutrements of their crafts.&nbsp;</p> <p>"It was back in 2007. There was a vendor who used to have this space here in the medical mall and that business closed. I decided to purchase it."&nbsp;</p> <p>"I saw how photographs weren't being preserved correctly, or how framing pictures wasn't well done. The work was... well, seemingly just slapped together. And you could tell it wasn't going to hold up over time," said Hart. "I started studying preservation.&nbsp;Got a lot of consultation from outside sources.&nbsp;I read, attended workshops and trade shows. I even&nbsp;watched YouTube videos.&nbsp;Anything to learn."&nbsp;</p> <p>He pauses briefly to greet one of the many passersby, putting in the miles, walking the long concourses at the Jackson Medical Mall.</p> <p>"And learn I did. I'll tell you this," Hart states, raising a finger to punctuate his point. "What I didn't know and came to realize is how huge and dynamic this field is. So much goes into framing and restoration. And I discovered there was so much need out there."</p> <p>"I brought all that knowledge to one place. It grew steadily and so well because there was such a need in&nbsp;<em>this&nbsp;</em>community. Word spread. And the product speaks for itself. People started bringing their historical documents and family photos for proper framing at reasonable prices. Artists and photographers bring their work here too. That's important because it brings a lot of talent together.&nbsp;It's a great way to network."</p> <p>Hart takes off his suit jacket, looks around his shop and smiles at his brother, clapping him on the shoulder.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Elim means, 'God's sweet land,' " Hart explains. "I chose the name Elim after reading scripture.&nbsp;I thought, what could bestow a blessing on this place and the community?"&nbsp;</p> <p>He smiles, recalling his "lightbulb moment."</p> <p>"If necessity is the mother of all creation, then I can tell you this, what I have here was created out of a need I didn't even know existed. What a blessing that is."&nbsp;</p> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter" data-effect="slide"> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container"> <ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097310" data-id="1097310" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-1.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Harold Hart, owner of Elim's Art Concepts and Decorative Designs, with examples of framed artists' works, at his Jackson Medical Mall business, Thursday, May 4, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097309" data-id="1097309" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-2.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">"Word spread. People started bringing their historical documents and family photos for restoration and proper framing at reasonable prices," said Elim's Art Concepts and Decorative Designs owner Harold Hart, showing an example of a restored photograph, Thursday, May 4, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097308" data-id="1097308" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-3.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Harold Hart (left) and his brother Rodney, work on a project for a customer at Hart's shop, Elim's Art Concepts and Decorative Designs, Thursday, May 4, 2023. The business is located in the Jackson Medical Mall.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097307" data-id="1097307" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-4.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Elim's Art Concepts and Decorative Designs owner Harold Hart and his brother Rodney (left), work on a project for a client at Hart's Jackson Medical Mall shop, Thursday, May 4, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097306" data-id="1097306" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-5.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">An artist himself, Harold Hart created this piece showcasing Mississippi Blues greats using an old window frame. Hart is the owner of Elim's Art Concepts and Creative Designs, located in the Jackson Medical Mall.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097305" data-id="1097305" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-6.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Artwork by various artists, framed by Elim's Art Concepts and Creative Designs owner Harold Hart and on display at his shop in the Jackson Medical Mall, Thursday, May 4, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097304" data-id="1097304" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-7.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Artwork framed by Harold Hart, and on display at his shop, Elim's Art Concepts and Creative Designs, located in the Jackson Medical Mall, Thursday, May 4, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-1097303" data-id="1097303" src="https://mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Elims-8.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Elim's Art Concepts and Decorative Designs owner Harold Hart, at his shop located in the Jackson Medical Mall, Thursday, May 4, 2023.</figcaption></figure> </li> </ul> <p><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a></p> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div> </div> </div> <div class="wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background"> <h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-help-us-feature-black-businesses-in-mississippi"><mark class="has-inline-color has-primary-color">Help us feature Black businesses in Mississippi:</mark></h4> <p>(function (c, i, t, y, z, e, n, x) { x = c.createElement(y), n = c.getElementsByTagName(y)[0]; x.async = 1; x.src = t; n.parentNode.insertBefore(x, n); })(document, window, "https://publicinput.com/Link?embedId=86909", "script"); </p></div> <p>This <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org/2023/05/27/elims-art-concepts-and-decorative-designs/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://mississippitoday.org">Mississippi Today</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT_icon-logo-favicon-1.png?fit=134%2C150&amp;ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://mississippitoday.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1097311&amp;ga4=G-VSX4B701MS" style="width:1px;height:1px;"></p> Copy to Clipboard

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