Today we’d like to introduce you to John Newhouse

Hi John, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

After graduating from Syracuse as an Illustration major, I found myself in Television News Graphics for almost 40 years, and I loved every exciting minute of it. I recently pivoted my career to go back to my true passion as an illustrator. I draw portraits as gifts and commissions. I draw both pets and people so my clients can give them as something more inventive than the normal purchase or for someone who simply is “impossible to buy for”. Turning a passion into a profession is a challenge. Ask any musician, dancer or artist, and they’ll tell you how hard it can be. Doing something for fun is…well…fun. But changing that into a business is…well…you get the point.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

This transition from Television News Creative Director/Art Director/Designer has been a mixed bag. After 40 years of “9 to 5”, ridiculous deadlines and intense pressure all hours of the day and night, I suddenly found myself with time and not always with commissions. So there was some guilt about having free time. I also struggled with the long (Some would say “Normal”) deadlines. The positive aspect is that this transition has taught me how to budget time, work on my skills and enjoy the process.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?

My 40 year career in Television News Graphics has taken me through some amazing historical events and the dramatic changes in the technology of the business. The task was always; “How do we present this important story, or even routine stories in a clear and concise manner so the viewer knows exactly what we are talking about?”

The industry has evolved from air brush, color-aid paper and letraset being shot on 35mm slides to photoshop and 3D animations. Art is always the center of everything that I do. As a manager of teams from 5-40 people I also became a teacher…a teacher who was constantly learning. One of my team would ask me: “What do you think of this?” I would respond by asking them the same question. I wanted them to be as passionate as possible about what they did. I wanted to see that passion when they showed me.

My first day in news, we got a call an hour before the show. There was a major plane crash, President Gemayel was assassinated in Lebanon and Princess Grace died in a car accident. I was immediately hooked and high on it. I swore when I didn’t feel that way anymore I would go do something else. Fortunately I had a passion project.

What’s next?

I just want to keep learning and growing as an artist. There are SO MANY brilliant artists out there, I want to bring something unique.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jmnillustrations.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmnillustrations/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jmnillustrations