Emerging Painter. Established Creative.
Jen Montgomery
I paint the sentimental and the symbolic. Birth flowers, a pet portrait, a sign from a loved one. Each piece begins with a story.
Color has been a constant across everything I have created. Early in my design career, I was told to tone it down, until eventually it became the thing I was known for. Then the same pattern repeated in my paintings. Some of my own personal work started dimming, without me fully noticing. A friend suggested I bring my color-confident graphic design sensibility into my paintings. She was right. Leaning into my love of color has been fun and the work is only going to get more colorful from here.
My paintings tend to be bright, joyful, even celebratory. I also use them to honor grief for others. These feelings can exist together. Color does not cancel out loss, but it can give new life.
Background
rewritechangesFor over 20 years, I've shaped stories and brands as a creative director. I've designed at Disney, in agencies, and independently, crafting award-winning books, packaging, branding, and more. I've always been a creative generalist: design, illustration, painting, whatever the moment calls for. I've spent a career helping other people's visions come to life.
Now I'm painting the images, memories, and moments that interest me. It's changed how I see color itself. I see it as a language. This creative expansion brings bold, vibrant energy into your world. It also deepens what I can offer my graphic design clients: more color, more tactility, more humanity, and more authenticity in an era of AI.
Hazel and Luna, my two whippets, are the most supportive studiomates. They are often curled up at my feet while I paint.
I grew up in the California high desert and still live in the surrounding hills. Desert botanicals feel like home to me. I am inspired by surprising bursts of color hidden in seemingly beige landscapes.
Alongside my fine art, I’ve been a professional designer for over 20 years, creating books, brands, and packaging for clients including Disney, Sammy Hagar, and W.W. Norton. See my design work here.
When I'm not creating, I'm at heated power yogalates. Some of my clearest creative epiphanies arrive in savasana, right after a hard class.
Education
Art Center College of Design, Graphic Design
Selected Design Clients
Disney, W.W. Norton, Sammy Hagar, Verisk, etc.
Art and Design Recognition
VoyageLA • Shoutout LA • VoyageLA • CanvasRebel • Bold Journey • Communication Arts Typography Annual•Greenvelope• Meat and Potatoes: AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers • JPG Magazine, Issue 8 Page 27 • Fishwrap: Step Inside Design 100 Annual • Type Directors Club's 53rd Awards Exhibition • LA Times • WIRED Magazine • 365: AIGA Annual Design Competitions #28 • Print Regional Design Annual • Greenvelope • Bold Journey
Design Work
jenmont.com
Let's Get Social
Find me on Instagram @jen.montgomery.studio where I share art, design, and everything in between.
Let's Create Together!
Whether you're interested in a commission, an original, or just want to follow along, I'd love to connect. Email me and Let's Create Together!