Martin Potoczny is a rock star in his own right. One memorable day in his career, he and his crew flew on a private 737 for Madonna’s tour in Paris. They arrived and lit up two stadium shows back to back. Then when he could have easily called it a night, Potoczny opted to take over ‘The City of Lights’ with couture designer John Galliano, for what he exclaims as a, “a wild night on the town.” While such an evening of decadent delights would make any aspiring fashionista’s knees tremble, it was not his most memorable memory from his lustrous career. He credits that to collaborating with Roger Waters of Pink Floyd for the recent “Dark Side of the Moon” tour. “He (Waters) is probably the most intense, talented, and creative man I can think of,” reminisces Potoczny during one of his many travels throughout the world. “His shows are perfect. He designs his shows and brings in the best team of designers and technical people to take his vision and translate it into equipment and programming for the stage.”
Potoczny is not a musician, an actor, or even a model. Rather, the Pittsburgh native is a visual, and in demand maestro for glamorous, light-fueled shows, who transforms concerts for the likes of Madonna, Rihanna, and even Nu-Metal pioneers, Korn, into heart-stopping spectacles for avid music lovers. It is a path he always knew would be his. “I was born to design lighting and visuals,” boasts Potoczny. “When I was a child, I was fascinated with all things lighting and electrical. Other kids were playing in the sandbox and I was taking things apart and putting them back together.”
Potoczny credits his creative upbringing bursting with family and ‘lots of kids’ to his lifelong passion for lighting, as well as how it impacts the human imagination. “When Christmas or my birthday approached, I would ask for things like stage lighting equipment, fog machines, and professional pyrotechnic equipment,” says Potoczny.
That childhood dream is now a high-profile reality for Potoczny, the mastermind behind LUXE Lighting + Atmospheres, an all-encompassing, full-service visual design studio where he designs special events for celebrity clients, including performances, weddings, and fashion shows, just to name a few. To Potoczny, the title of dream maker may be more appropriate. “We hope to make every client’s dream come true,” he states. “Nothing makes me happier than seeing the look on a client’s face when they walk into their wedding reception or see their house and landscape lighting turn for the first time. We hope to capture and understand their vision and maintain open lines of communication until the project is completed.”
From Chanel to Disney, Potoczny has helped launch exclusive parties for celebrity clients, paving the wave for nightlife trends. It is no wonder lasers, once an element few could master, are now being found in both concerts and clubs. No renowned DJ would be without them and it is safe to say visual artists, such as Potoczny, have helped make them a staple for any swanky bash. “The reason we have seen lasers popping up in so many concerts and performances these days is mainly due to major advancements in laser technology,” he explains. “Lasers were once difficult to utilize because they were large, bulky, unreliable, required massive amounts of electricity, running water for cooling, and weren’t cost effective.” “Now, lighting designers, such as myself, treat lasers more like lighting fixtures when designing and programming,” he adds. “This new laser technology has really opened the use of this incredible tool for us. “It really adds another dimension and layer of light to a performance design. I personally like the magical quality of light that a laser emits.”
While some may gawk at the idea of lighting as an art form, Potoczny insists it is key to everything we do, including our love for chronicling everything with photos. “How everyday cell phone users are discovering the way in which photography filters can transform even a shot into a work of art,” he states. “A professional lighting design shows the artist, stage, or piece of architecture truly in the best light. We have the power to define and control what viewers are, and more importantly, are not seeing.”
Just when Potoczny could easily sit back and let his team make enchantment happen for any concert or private party, he chooses to chase after new inspiration. “I took a two-week road trip across the US this summer and saw great lighting installations in every city,” he says. “The use of vivid colors is popping up everywhere. We have become an extremely visual world.”
Potoczny’s next project still remains a guarded secret, at least for now. While this saingy may be cliché in nature, for this man, the future does indeed look bright.
