In his mid-30s, John Rutledge has worn many hats — working in non-profits, restaurants, and start-ups. Much of his success comes from his high emotional intelligence and his ability to connect with people from all walks of life. He enjoys exercise, conversation, and would happily spend every day at the beach. Though he never formally studied art, John graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, and it’s this blend of life experience and curiosity that eventually led him back into the art world.
How did you get started with art?
It all began with an elementary school art class. I was fortunate to attend a school with a strong art program, and from the start I felt a natural pull toward it. Our teachers kept building on that foundation year after year. By high school, I had a solid grounding in drawing and design. Honestly, I stuck with art partly because my friends were talented and because it looked good on a college application. I stayed in art classes all the way through graduation.
Would you say art has played a significant role in your life?
Art was never my deepest passion, but it was something I had a knack for. That ability gave me an appreciation for other artists and their work. After high school, though, I set it aside and didn’t create much in terms of significant pieces for several years.
What brought you back into art?
About a decade later, I was fully immersed in my professional life and realized I needed a hobby to pull me out of the grind. Around that time, I saw custom-painted shoes trending on social media and thought I’d give it a try. I began painting sneakers. At first, I was critical of my own work — I’m a bit of a perfectionist — but the results were solid. Soon, I was painting shoes for friends, and from there it just kept developing.
What kind of shoes do you paint the most?
Converse. They’ve become my favorite canvas. Part of the reason is that Converse are common in weightlifting circles, and since I spend a lot of time in the gym, they feel familiar. Their clean, classic design also leaves plenty of space for creative expression.
What’s your favorite part of the process?
What started as just a hobby has turned into something deeper. My favorite part now is collaborating with the client. I love hearing what they value and translating that into a design that means something personal. One of my favorite projects was for a friend’s birthday — I customized her old pair of platform Converse. She’s a musician who performs under the stage name Killercam and was working at Drybar at the time. I combined both parts of her life into the design, creating a pair of shoes that celebrated her artistry and her work.
For John Rutledge, art has become less about personal expression and more about storytelling — painting meaning into the shoes people wear every day.
