Joe Doldon of Capstone Framing
Say hello to Sheffield based Joe Doldon of Capstone Framing
It’s time for us to chat to another locally-based creative and this month it’s the turn of bespoke framer (and artist) Joe Doldon, here’s what Joe had to say.
Volta: What first sparked your interest in becoming an artist or creative?
Joe: I’ve always had an innate curiosity about the world and was always encouraged to explore this and express myself in whatever way felt natural. I remember I always looked up to my older brother who was really good at drawing and painting. I’ve got this very competitive side to me, which is probably what drove me in respect to that. Music was a big thing in our household and I started to play the drums aged 11. Shortly after I was playing in bands and I’ve been in and out of different musical projects ever since. I love to move too. Dancing (wildly), as my friends will attest has always been the greatest release.
Volta: Are you self-taught or have you had formal training?
Joe: I did a BA (Hons) in Fine Art, but I don’t know if you’d categorise a contemporary visual arts degree as ‘formal’! It was a time of great experimentation and at that formative age, it really shaped my world view and opened up my mind to completely new ways of thinking and expression. In terms of my vocation now, I received a scholarship to get put through my Certified Framer accreditation with The Fine Art Trade Guild which I did when I set up Capstone Framing. Before this however I’d ‘learnt’ on the job working for other framers. I will stress that it is a completely unregulated industry however, and what I had picked up from past employers I had to completely disregard. Looking back, we employed some horrendous methods and materials when handling and framing work of sentimental and monetary value. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t personally take anything to a framer who isn’t Guild Certified, unless you want budget framing. But be aware, you get what you pay for and generally that means poor protection (in some cases methods and materials that directly cause harm to the work). Since I’m Sheffield’s only Guild Certified Framer, I guess that rules it down to one option!
Volta: What inspires your work most right now?
Joe: In my vocation, I’m inspired by my customers and the work they bring to me for framing in equal measure. In a brief interaction with someone I’ve often never met before, I have to assess what their primary motives are for getting the work framed. I tease out the back story to develop an understanding of what it means to them. I also look to the item to find colour, texture and perhaps motifs and connotations we can echo in the choice of frame, mount and presentation. The frame provides a housing, but also forms a relationship with that item. Generally the framing should quietly and elegantly sit with the work, but sometimes bigger bolder and more playful gestures can be made that bring the framing into the conversation more. The primary function of framing should be to protect and conserve, so I also have to firstly assess the best method to mount the work. If the work is on paper, generally this is fairly straightforward, however textiles, objects, memorabilia and shirts etc need a little more thought. This all plays a part in the aesthetic considerations of framing.
Volta: Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why?
Joe: As an artist, I made 2 works during my degree that were selected to be shown in Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2008. One was a floor covering the whole gallery space made entirely of corrugated cardboard. As people walked on it, it gradually got chewed up under foot until by the end of the exhibition it was complete carnage! This was exhibited at the Liverpool biennial and was probably the highlight of my artistic career.
In terms of framing, I had an original drawing by John Ruskin come through the workshop last year. It was a wonderful thing to handle. I made a completely custom hand painted frame with hand decorated window mount in keeping of its style and age. It was mounted and framed to FATG Museum, Level 1 so it will be conserved properly for many years to come.
Volta: What do you love most about being a creative in Sheffield?
Joe: Sheffield’s a great place to live and work as a creative. It’s a really tight and welcoming community and the size of Sheffield means that within this, you’re probably only one person removed from each other if you don’t already know someone. There’s a great DIY spirit to the place, and people just cracking on making some really interesting work. It’s a place that can really nurture the creative spirit, and for me, that influence largely comes from nature. I love how green Sheffield is and how easy it is to escape to the Peaks, which is basically just a big playground to me; be that for mountain biking, rock climbing or just walking and exploring it with my family.
Volta: Is there a particular Sheffield location that inspires you creatively?
Joe: I love being in the woods. I love how regulating an environment like this is for me and my family. I love the dappled light, the rich biodiversity, the sounds of birds and life, the cleaner air and that sense of potential for play and exploration. I could name a number, but for ease of access to us, I’d have to say Cat Lane Woods. We’ve also got an allotment plot nearby which is a little slice of heaven that, mostly my wife has created. You can walk all the way out to the Moss Valley from here. Sheffield’s great for that; there’s lots of green corridors that take you all the way out of the city into the countryside.
Volta: Which Sheffield artist, venue, gallery or creative organisation deserves more recognition?
Joe: I’m going to mention a few here, because it seems unfair to mention just one when there’s so many people doing so many great things. Bloc Projects is a great artist led studios and gallery complex, The Shop is an exciting new venture that’s just opened up on Abbeydale road by artist Nick Grindrod. He has his studio there, but the front is also a small gallery space where exhibitions are being put on by various artists and curators. Music wise, there’s a bunch of doofs collectively known as Delicious Clam that run a practise space and venue down on Exchange Place, and I’ve always had a keen eye on Gut Level, though I’m yet to make it down (having two young kids makes nights out a scarce event these days).
Volta: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a creative?
Joe: I’m sure the majority of creatives would say this, but my own mind. Self doubt and lack of organisation are probably my most limiting factors in life right now, but I’m trying to work on that!
Volta: Do other areas of creativity, such as music, have any influence on your work?
Joe: Music is a big one. Whether it has a direct influence over my picture framing or not I don’t know but there’s always cross over between work, art and life. It’s definitely shaped my philosophy, sense of self and identity, so in that sense it has. I always work with music on, so it keeps me focused and grounded. I’ve played the drums since I was 11 too and have always been in and out of bands ever since. In fact, I keep my kit set up in the workshop and pop down to play on an evening.
Volta: If you could own any work, by any artist, from any period, what would it be and why?
Joe: There’s loads of large scale sculpture that come to mind but would be totally impractical to own, so i’ll have to settle for a painting! Let’s say Snow Storm: Steam-Boat off a Harbours Mouth by JMW Turner. Why? Because he’s the best there’s ever been and this is his finest work. Strapping yourself to the mast of a boat during a storm is the antics of a mad man and artists of that disposition seem to be able to convey things about the human experience that sane artists just can’t quite reach. Flying so close to death awakens the senses like nothing else, and makes you feel most alive. It’s that tension and relationship with the natural world that is distilled here so well.
Sheffield Based Bespoke Framers Capstone Framing
Want to find out a little more about Joe and his work, here are links to his website and Social Media accounts – enjoy!
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Vicky Scott
Katherine Rhodes
Jim McElvaney
Eva Juusola
Zoe Genders
Janet Wass
Rebecca Stewart
Juliet Forrest
Alan Pennington
Debra Burrell
Joe Scarborough
Cath Dunn
Meghan Downs
Mark H Wilson
Laura Page
Wendy Carlton
Bryan John
Paul Hilton-Tapp
James Green
Jill Ray
Gavin Kilcommons
Rob Richardson
Mark Turner
Graham Clark
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