Considering the ebb and flow of Central Oregon’s economy over the last decade, carving out a career in the art or building industries has been an issue for woodworkers, luthiers and artists alike. Many have diversified to make ends meet, while others have given up on their childhood career dreams altogether.
But those who’s determination hasn’t wavered through the tough times have emerged stronger as the economy cycles back around to a positive note. One such local woodworker is Will Nash of Nashwood who is simultaneously finishing up a high profile commission with the new Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon and moving into a new shop in Northeast Bend.
Nash’s furniture and artistic pieces can be found at the Red Chair Gallery in downtown Bend, and, along with some hand-carved architectural details, in many higher-priced homes throughout Central Oregon. His musical instruments can be found in the hands of many local touring musicians and bedroom strummers alike.
Nash grew up on 40 acres of juniper-laden land in Tumalo. His artistic side became prevalent at an early age as he spent his days discovering the trees. The hours of evaluating the medieval lines of the ancient junipers, combined with play time in his mother’s pottery studio, made his home a perfect spot to develop an imagination and a love for wood.
“My world was a place of imagination,” explains Nash, who lives in Northeast Bend with his wife and two daughters. “Every tree had a story. I didn’t care about television. I wanted to be outside building forts.”
After graduating from Redmond High School, Nash studied classic literature, history and sculpture at the University of Oregon. When he graduated in 1992, he attended Portland State University for post-graduate work in art and architecture. Although Nash took a job at advertising giant Wyden and Kennedy in Portland, his desire for woodworking remained.
After leaving Wyden and Kennedy, Nash built creative structures around Portland. He used his knowledge of wood to craft a sauna for his home and constructed decks and trellises for neighbors. At the same time, Nash was still sculpting and painting, but by 1999 he stumbled into one of his passions: luthiery.
Nash was hanging out with a friend who had just purchased a mandolin and another who was getting back into playing violin. Watching the beautiful instruments making music gave Nash an epiphany.
“I liked woodworking, art and music,” says Nash. “They all come together at the instrument.”
So Nash created a shop in his basement and began work on his first mandolin, an extremely difficult F-5 model. While the process included many failures, it did prove the passion to build instruments was there. Around the same time, Nash learned that Breedlove Guitars was in his childhood home’s backyard of Tumalo.
By 2002, Nash and his wife moved back to Central Oregon as he got a job building mandolins for Breedlove. In his two years at Breedlove, Nash estimates he built 800 mandolins for the well-known instrument maker.
“Working for Breedlove taught me a good, healthy discipline on going about the work, says Nash. “It allowed me to practice and work on fine tuning the craft.”
After leaving Breedlove, Nash obtained his Oregon Construction Contractors License in 2003, while continuing to build instruments. He focused on building with autoclaved aerated concrete block and creating wood architectural details and cabinets. To date, Nash’s work can be found in six multi-million dollar projects in Central Oregon.
As the economy turned sour and Central Oregon’s home building came to an abrupt halt, Nash realized that diversification was the key to both financial success and mental appeasement. In addition to keeping one foot in the building industry through cabinetry and architectural detail work, and another in luthiery, Nash added furniture building to his quiver.
By 2009, Nash incorporated Nashwood as a way to bring together all of his work and passions into one entity. He worked out of his basement and a friend’s garage before moving into a shared shop off SE Business Way.
In 2010, Nash joined some other artists in opening downtown Bend’s co-op, Red Chair Gallery. He began displaying his swivel-back chair, wooden spoons and sculptures at the NW Oregon location. Within the first two weeks, Nash sold the $1,700 swivel-back chair, and a dozen more since then. He also sold countless wooden spoons, a couple of rocking chairs and various sculptures.
Last year, Nashwood, through the success of his previous work, scored a substantial project commitment with the new Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon church, located off Skyliner Road. The high-profile, six month project allowed him to gain experience working with a committee, dealing with design and remedying any complications. He is currently finishing up the 19 commissioned pieces of furniture including the pulpit, altar, chairs, benches and tables. Every piece, carved out of solid wood, was an exercise in patience and consistency.
With his creations sought after and his work schedule booked months out, Nash entered into an agreement to move his shop to the old Premier Woodworks building on NE Second Street, in Bend’s burgeoning Maker’s District. As part of the deal, Nash controls roughly two-thirds of the 3,500 square foot building, subletting to two other woodworkers, as he gains a percentage of ownership in the building.
Nash has big plans for the building, in the form of creating an 800 square foot showroom with an 800 square foot caretaker’s unit above. He will also add a new garage, windows and a skylight. There is the possibility of adding a cafe or second story as well.
Once Nash finishes the furniture for the Unitarian church, he will set his sights on building cabinets for a 4,000 square foot house, and constructing a sign, fence and garden for the Waldorf School of Bend. He has also been asked to build a custom guitar and has ideas for more sculptures. Nash is excited to donate some art pieces to the school’s Wanderlust Ball on April 11. No stranger to giving back, Nash was part of the Red Chair Gallery’s December donation to the Bethlehem Inn.
Nashwood
Location: 1385 Northeast Second Street, Bend, OR 97701
Phone: 541-788-0314
Website: www.nashwoodguitars.com
Owner: Will Nash
Employees: 1
Year Est.: 2009
Products: Custom music instruments, furniture, cabinets, other pieces made of wood.
Hot News: Finishing up 19 pieces of furniture for the new Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon and recently moved into a new shop on Second and Olney Streets.
Growth Outlook: A new shop and several high-profile jobs have lead to being booked out several months.
(Above photo by Gregg Morris)
