Today we’d like to introduce you to John Potter.
John, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I had an aptitude and interest in art as a kid and was offered some advanced educational opportunities while in High School so I kept following that path. I went on to attend Ringling College of Art and Design.
I worked full-time as a staff artist and designer for many years. In 2009 I decided to start charting my own path and began freelancing full-time under the title Escape Key Graphics. My clients range across multiple industries, states and countries including large corporations and small businesses. Projects include illustration and design of maps, book covers, posters and more.
I am well known for my illustrated maps which include the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Miami International Boat Show and Palm Beach International Boat Show among others. Outside of the boat show industry I have locally made maps for Flamingo Gardens and Sunset Harbour Yacht Club.
Recently I have been returning to my illustration roots and creating more artwork by hand including several murals.
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?
The road is never smooth and I don’t honestly feel that I have “arrived” as of yet. Self-employment requires self-discipline, a tolerance for slow times and the ability to take on a lot of work when it all comes at once. As a creative professional, you are subject to stereotyping both positive and negative. You have to say no to work that doesn’t pay what you deserve and ignore people who treat your career dismissively. You also have to remind some clients that artists aren’t mind readers or magicians. If a client has a brilliant idea but can’t put it on paper, I can’t mind meld and do it for them either. Also.. although Instagram makes watching every artist make every piece of art look very entertaining, they may find my methods less fun to watch. I don’t think these struggles ever end.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I majored in illustration with an emphasis on drawing and painting. I also use many computer programs and code in HTML and CSS. At present, I am not doing any fine artwork for galleries or the like. All of my work at present is for commercial use and is usually ordered as custom work for a specific application but I also do some work on speculation. My work may appear in print, online as displays or in most any other form like vinyl wraps or murals. I have a reputation for creating high-quality illustrated maps. I create many of the maps you may be familiar with from boat shows. I have also created maps for resorts, parks, theme parks, marinas and more. I am proud of the book covers I have illustrated over the years and I am pleased with the recent mural work I’ve done. I have a diverse skill set and frequently combine seemingly unassociated skills to make something new. As unexciting as it may be, I think the biggest thing that sets me apart from others is reliability. It means a lot to people to know they don’t have to worry about you hitting the deadline.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I think reliability is most important to my success. I try to always deliver more than the client expects, but to the client, the most important thing is getting something acceptable on time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://escapekeygraphics.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapekeygraphics/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsL6TaSnb9U9zCOP8FJ4u1g
- Other: https://www.behance.net/escapekeygraphics
