Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Squires.
Hi Todd, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I suppose my story is always ongoing. There is no beginning, middle or end. There is only now and it is in this now (this present tense) that we are always creating the next chapter. Professionally I started my frame shop when I felt I needed to branch off (over 15 years ago) and run a business of my own. Creatively, I’ve always been an artist and have always liked the idea of having my own studio workplace double for both my picture framing work and art. I got both in opening my frame shop.
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?
Running a small business is always a challenge. Because I rent a studio and have employees, there is always plenty of business that needs to be done in order to keep my shop afloat. Simply because there is no way to predict waves of when frames are needed for people’s personal collections, there is no guarantee that things will be okay in a month from now let alone in a year. I just keep putting my best and smile out there and hope for the best. It’s helped me barely get by for over 15 years thankfully.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I never allow myself to get too bogged down in one form or movement. I think life is always fluctuating and changing and so I like my creativity to reflect that. I worked in the film industry early on but left soon after because I was feeling held back. Some people excel at the idea of making other people’s visions come true but I’m too much of an individual thinker to work well with big teams. This could also be characterized as a personal flaw. I suppose that it’s because I like to create visual magic for others and I don’t want others to know exactly how I did it. Like many visual artists will tell you, revealing secrets take all the mystery and fun out of the creation. I have an acute love for so many different forms of art and so for a number of years, I was an anonymous video artist called Readymade777. I also painted and created tricky mixed media pieces with paint and found objects that a lot of people seemed to react very favorably too. I also have created a lot of photographic works in which I am proud of. I even went so far as to make a lithograph with master lithographer Ed Hamilton (my father) at Hamilton Press. My work is part of public collections at Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA and Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York, NY.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’d say my parents have always nurtured and supported my creativity and given me confidence in my endeavors, and so they are the main people to give credit to. I always surround myself with people who I admire or appreciate creatively so I can always be inspired by them on any given day. That’s why it helps to have a frame shop. Artists and clients and all sorts of people walk into my life every day. My wife has had a long stint in curating art and so it’s always nice to have her perspective help balance and give me guidance in seeing the way others might view my work.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toddler777/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FourthCorner/
- Other: https://www.lilyspindle.com/blog/2015/8/16/shapers-todd-squires
