Ep. 179: Mary Monteriro

Southcoast Artists Index

Welcome, Mary Monteiro, who says she, "was not exposed to art growing up so I latched on to the only creative endeavor I had been exposed to, sewing." After high school, her interest in creating with fabric led her to pursue a degree in fashion design.

It was well-intentioned but short-lived. After her first foundation drawing class at S.M.U. (Southeastern Massachusetts University) which evolved into the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Mary Monteiro, had found her true passion. Her desire to learn more led her to an apprenticeship with a painter in Providence and later with an illustrator.

Mary Monteiro started her freelance illustration career at 26 and worked in book publishing, giftware design, and fashion. She had also discovered meditation. "Art and spirit are natural companions and have been guiding forces for me, she says, I traveled to India to deepen my understanding of meditation." Mary is now at a stage in life when all the "busy work" is done. She now focuses all her energy on bringing the spirit into her life and onto the canvas. Mary Monteiro hopes that her art can bring people to that centered place within them.

The Artists Index’s cofounder, documentarian, and podcast host, Ron Fortier, talks with Mary Monteiro, about her background, passions, and future. The Artists Index uses Zoom to accommodate our guests’ schedules and to allow them to remain in the comfort of their homes, especially those who no longer live on the South Coast of Massachusetts.

The home base and studio of The Artists Index are located at Spectrum Marketing Group in Howland Place in New Bedford. If you would like to be a guest on The Artists Index or have a suggestion, please let us know!

The In-Focus Podcasts are up close and personal conversations with the makers, performers, supporters, and cultural impresarios of the remarkable creative community of South Coast Massachusetts including New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport, and beyond.