Joe makes furniture and objects inspired by the brilliant details and methods of traditional vernacular architecture and buildings.
year of birth: 1992
birthplace: Lincoln (England)
current residence: Edinburgh (Scotland)
started in 2023
Where did it all begin?
A combination of getting excited seeing and discovering these buildings whilst on adventures and holidays around the country. This combined with the desire to recreate these details on a smaller scale to share with everyone else in their own homes.
What is the worst advice you’ve heard?
Maybe not advice as such, but letting others put you down and reduce your confidence. Without the confidence it is very difficult to do your best work.
Most beautiful moment during the creative process?
I think there are two equally great moments in the creative process. First is the initial sketch after having had a moment of inspiration and being able to see what was in your head just moments ago. The second is when you head to an exhibition and you turn the corner into the space and see your object for the first time. All the while playing down the excitement that’s actually being said upstairs in your own head.
What doesn’t inspire you?
Objects that have seldom had love or care put into them. Where there could have been an interesting detail or area of intrigue, but now that has been removed in the pursuit of just getting it done.
What are you proud of?
When you start out you set yourself goals such as being featured in a certain gallery or magazine. So it would definitely be achieving these goals.
But most of all being featured on a full page of the interiors magazine which had been my literature of choice for the past few years.
Favorite material?
A characterful piece of locally sourced oak or ash. Over the years my allegiance has started to side with English oak (laughs). It just has so much detail in the timber.
What would you have done, if not this?
I would most likely still be designing objects, interiors and lovely things.
When was your biggest moment of doubt?
Now that is still a constant thought in my head. Maybe the biggest though, was doubting whether people would ever care to see the beauty in a thatched cabinet. Especially whilst making it.
Who is your biggest supporter?
Most likely my family. Especially with their offers to come and sand and oil boxes if I ever need it. They have always been there with help and support.
Favorite image?
I have plenty from magazine shoots or exhibitions that I’d like to include. However, a personal image is photographing the folly post card box and seeing its little ball finials create fun circular shadows on the walls. That was quite joyful.
What do you still want to do?
It most definitely is to get more and more ideas made that I have sketched out. To hopefully delight more people with the details and forms inspired by traditional buildings.
Where do you work?
I use the great facilities at Edinburgh Open Workshop in Leith, Edinburgh. It offers me space when I need it to make my big pieces. Sketching and designing however, takes place wherever I have an idea. In the works is a grand dining table and the original sketches were drawn up in the Morris Cafe in the V&A.
makers over hun passie. 