Swift ascent – celebrating ten years, Blueswift’s Jody Anderson on his growing framing business

 Jody Anderson (left) and Assistant Manager Kristian Baughurst (right)

SWIFT ASCENT

Writer

Russell Chater

Photography

Courtesy of Blueswift

Celebrating a ten-year anniversary and having just expanded their workshop, Ramsgate printing and framing company Blueswift is going from strength to strength and offering an encouraging barometer for the local creative scene

In Tennessee Williams’ play Orpheus Descending, a character refers to a swift flying high and free and not landing until it dies. Jody recounts this passage as the inspiration for the name Blueswift: the blue representing the expansive sky and its endless opportunity. Jody’s familiarity with the play stems from his former life as an actor (appearing on both stage and screen) while living in New York, where he was born. So what made Jody fly from New York to Ramsgate? Although he met her at theatre school on Broadway, Jody’s wife Anna (who went on to have a successful global career in dance and musical theatre) is English and they decided to start a new life and business in the UK. They stumbled on Ramsgate and were taken by its many charms; the rest is now history.

Framing in particular was already a skill that Jody had experience in. His mother was an artist who had her work custom-framed and Jody “appreciated what this did for a piece”. Jody would go on to learn with a master framer in New York, followed by a framer in Norfolk on his arrival in the UK. Initial business premises were sublet in an arch on the harbour, followed by a rented shop on Queen Street. As both the business and his experience grew, 2017 saw Jody and Anna take the risk of moving into the much larger current premises in St Lawrence.

It has paid off, with Blueswift now offering giclée printing, custom-sprayed frames, collection and delivery services and exhibition hanging.

The printing service came later but has continued to expand, with January seeing the creation of a new 500-squarefoot printing studio, increasing the overall workshop space to 1,500 square feet. This will allow for an increase in the scale that Blueswift can print, with hot and cold press printing now available up to 152 centimeters wide by up to 30 metres long. The extra space will also enable Jody to gradually start offering water-gilding, frame restoration and restoration of works on paper and canvas – centuries-old skills that he is particularly passionate about.

This expansion in services is a response to what artists need, and indicates the increasing variety, ambition and professionalism of the local creative scene. It is a symbiotic relationship, and Jody works with numerous local creatives – as well as local galleries, museums, antique dealers and the general public. Such is his reputation, work also comes in from London and the wider UK – and even from clients in America. Of course, Jody says, he can’t work miracles and, in terms of printing, a high-res image and professionally edited file are key. Meanwhile, a good eye is always useful.

There is no question of Jody’s good eye, and it has led to him being trusted to work with some fabulous artworks over the years. He recalls the story of a man walking in with a newspaper lightly ►

rolled, containing a drawing he wanted framed. He had picked it up for a song from a Brighton antiques market a number of years previously and it had been authenticated as a genuine Matisse! More recently, a local woman brought in a six-metre scroll (pictured right) depicting Ramsgate that her late father had spent four years meticulously drawing. Such an item is just as precious, and it is perhaps Jody’s devoting equal time and care to everything that comes through the door, as much as the range of services on offer, that is Blueswift’s USP.

These stories highlight that there is rarely a typical day. “Everything has to be spot on,” says Jody, “but at the same time it has to be a fun environment”. His team (Jody currently employs three staff) echo this: “We… really enjoy working with each other [and] enjoy the whole process.”

There have, however, been difficulties. Most recently, Brexit has resulted in price increases and delays in getting materials into the country. Thankfully, Jody’s relationship with his suppliers is as good as that with his customers, and disruption and price increases have so far been kept to a minimum. More broadly, Jody believes that “coming out of Covid and Brexit, the government had a good opportunity to support and encourage small businesses growth” which he feels they have squandered. He would like to see the local council do more to support local creatives and businesses to transform the town.

“The American in me is always pushing for more growth and the creative in me is looking for interesting and different options for our clients,” he says.

Jody’s creative and business skills are a winning combination – his blue-sky thinking and high-flying ideas matched with proven business nous. It is clear that this swift won’t be landing anytime soon.

blueswift.co.uk insta: @blueswiftframers

 Ben Sanders collage framed by Blueswift

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