Interview: K Potter

K Potter at K Potter Fine Art
​105 W Lewis
​www.kpotterfineart.com

When did you start making art?
I remember sitting at the kitchen table drawing flowers on yellow legal pads with my dad as a child. We would also make up poems to go along with the flowers, and then they would be proudly displayed on the fridge.

Did you always want to be an artist? What are some other jobs you have had?
I believe I told everyone in 2nd grade that I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. So, yes. Of course, I have taken a few side streets here and there, but I always return to being an artist. I was a raft guide in Gardiner for 5 years and a Lift Operator in the winters.

How did you end up in Livingston?
I am a big believer in the idea that you get to choose your family, and a lot of my family was settling down in Livingston. Friends I made from my years rafting (who are some of the closest friends a person can make) as well as friends from the college days were all over here. I’ve always lived in the area, and this just seemed like the best community to put roots in.

Who inspires you?
Artists who have mastered what they do, and who have taken things in their own direction. I look at their work and don’t feel a desire to mimic it, but to copy their independence and authenticity. One person I’m currently obsessed with is Caroline Stanley, a young artist in Canada. Her paintings are out of this world.
​
I am also really inspired by the moment when art impacts a person. When it causes them to pause, take in a breath, and see something they never have before.


What is your soundtrack while you work?
Mostly its EDM trancy kind of stuff, but all mostly mid-speed. The beats help me keep my rhythm painting. If I’m needing an extra boost, I’ll throw in the Fugees.

What’s your favorite thing about Livingston? Where do you like to eat?
My favorite thing about Livingston is that you can go to any event and see a range of people from eight to eighty. And I like that I can walk around in my paint splattered work pants (they’re all work pants at this point) and no one blinks an eye! I like to eat pretty much everywhere and everything, but a Pinky’s breakfast will always have my heart.

Anything else? (hidden talents? Best pets? Are you a magician?)
3 years ago I rowed the Grand Canyon.

---