We had the good fortune of connecting with Catherine Potter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Catherine, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
I uniquely balance both my creative and logical sides in my career. I am an artist and simultaneously work full time as Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Accountability in Washington, DC. I grew up in Austin, TX, and attended art classes at The Contemporary’s Laguna Gloria school. I went on to attend Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, TX, where I took classes that fueled both of my interests, like art history, printmaking, studio art, and constitutional law. I attended law school at the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law in Lexington, KY, then moved to DC. All throughout this journey that led me to DC, I balanced art and law – when one was my focus, I always kept myself involved in the other. During law school, painting and drawing were great ways for me to de-stress from the law school workload. I always prioritized working both the left and right sides of my brain and strongly believe that you can pursue all and any of your passions together.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art embodies my life experiences. Honing you own artistic style is vital to being a successful artist, which takes time and experimentation with a variety of mediums and subject matter. I tend towards using bright colors in both my drawings and paintings, which I attribute to growing up in Austin – a very vibrant and creative city.

Subject matter-wise, I create pieces that represent western cowboy culture, Renaissance art, horses or fashion illustrations. I like to create glamorous western pieces that have a mod colorful look, rather than a typical rustic western piece. I also enjoy adding elements that reflect my love for the french language, with french sayings or words, or renaissance art, with decadent jewels or flowers.

I believe my unique professional situation, working as a Counsel on Capitol Hill in DC, while being an artist from Texas, where I honed my artistic skills, strongly sets me apart from others. Many people shy away from pursuing all of their interests or feel pigeon-holed into one area. I am here to say you can do it all!


Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Joe T. Garcia’s in Forth Worth is my favorite spot in the DFW area. They have great Tex-Mex food in the middle of the Fort Worth Stockyards and a beautiful oasis outside for dining. In Dallas, Javier’s is a close second. Stanley Korshak and Forty Five Ten are both great spots for shopping. Inwood at midnight, if you know you know.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents both always supported my creative interests. Growing up, they encouraged me to pursue art. They recognized my talent early on and have been instrumental in building my reach.

Website: www.catherinepotterart.com

Instagram: @cpotterart

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.