Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Monteleone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jennifer thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I grew up in Houston, TX and after graduating from the University of Texas and living in Austin for 5 years, life took me to Chicago for a brief stint. During this interlude away from much of the Texas community I grew up with I met our first artist partner. What began as a friendship in a foreign city ultimately planted small seeds that would one day grow into the first ideas for Mont Art House. As we got to know one another I learned about her creative process, the time she invested into her work and the tension that existed between creating AND selling art. We would brainstorm ways to support her craft and dream about future successes. After my stint in Chicago I returned to my home city of Houston and began reconnecting with friends who were settling down, buying their first homes, and wanting real art for their spaces. They didn’t know where to start, didn’t know where to look, and didn’t even know what questions to ask. This is when Mont Art House really started to take shape. I was determined to create a business to support all of my people, both artists and friends. I saw an opportunity to walk alongside artists and champion their work while also walking alongside friends to find meaningful pieces for their homes and spaces. I came back to my artist friend from Chicago, asked if I could show her work to my friends, and now here we are 3 years later with 20 artist partners, 3 employees, and a dedicated gallery space.

Jennifer , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

FOR THE CLIENT: We work with homeowners and designers to fill your homes and offices with works of art that are inspiring to you. Art engages the imagination – the right piece in your space can provide new opportunities for discussion, creativity, and joy. When you select an original piece of art you are bringing new life into your space AND directly supporting an artist by investing in their unique gifts and talents. Whether you’re starting a collection or an experienced buyer, Mont Art House can help you select or commission the right piece for your space. We are happy to work with you on a consulting basis or set an appointment to experience our curated selection in our Houston gallery space.

FOR THE ARTIST: At Mont Art House, we are passionate about championing our artist partners and celebrating their work. Artists who partner with Mont Art House receive loyalty from the gallery, gratitude and engagement from our collectors, and support from the encouragement of the other artists in the partnership. Our partners are based in cities across the country, working in a variety of mediums and styles, giving us a wide reach with room for everyone.

FOR THE COMMUNITY: Mont Art House is committed to giving back to organizations that cultivate the talents of the next generation of artists. We are active donors to the non profit organization Sandal Gap Studios in Houston. Sandal Gap Studio exists to share the beauty of inclusivity through art. They intentionally expose society to the disability community in a comfortable environment where art is used as the common language among the verbal and non-verbal.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Our goal is to support the artist as much as possible. We are in awe of their gifts and want to celebrate that. We do this by trying to operate with less overhead than a normal gallery and trying to keep as much money in the artist pocket as possible. I’m forever grateful for the artists who allow me to show and represent their work. They support me by allowing me to support them. Their artwork opens the door for me to do what I love: coming alongside clients to help them fill their homes with inspiring works of art.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In our second year of the business we survived an art heist. It is typical in our business to have artwork delivered via courier, what is not typical is to have an entire art trailer stolen… In a moment that seemed so discouraging we could have hung up our spurs and closed up shop, but instead we decided to jump through the hoops, make the hard phone calls, do all the follow up. In a disheartening situation, we worked to do everything we could to do right by our artists. (And now we always check to make sure anyone we work with is insured.)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.montarthouse.com
• Instagram: @montarthouse

Image Credits
Caroline Fontenot Photography