Painting the perfect mental picture of a now rare experience out in the untamed Wild West, Montgomery-Lee’s Gallery Director Jennifer Lee Fargo describes a group of painters and their treasured trips under open skies and breathtaking vistas. To reach this pure American wilderness once painted by the great Thomas Moran, the artists must complete the last part of their journey on horseback, then by foot to set up easels and begin small paintings that will later turn into larger master works back in the studio.
One of these accomplished artists, Steve Songer, has been painting stunning impressionist oils for Montgomery-Lee Fine Art for over 20 years, and is one of their most sought aft er artists. Fargo knows these stories so well because she has known this artist and his family for more than 20 years too. Growing up in her family’s art business, she learned the importance of relationships from the very beginning. “I saw from a young age that it was really all about the strong connections and bonds, with artists as well as clients. It truly
involves a great deal of trust and commitment from all sides,” explains Fargo.
Joseph Alleman is another fascinating artist with a double decade history with the gallery, beginning right aft er college, blossoming into the youngest Master Signature Member ever inducted into the American Watercolor Society, and now sought out by collectors who have never even seen the beautiful gallery setting in Park City.
When asked about some of her fi rst and favorite childhood art memories, Fargo fondly recalls all the family trips to galleries, openings, and especially art auctions. Her parents were passionate art collectors long before opening their gallery on Park City’s Main Street 21 years ago. In fact, she went to so many auctions as a child that the auctioneers began to know and call her by name. At 14, she got her fi rst exciting taste of holding the bidding paddle, under the watchful eye of her parents of course.
A visit to their beautiful gallery is truly a multi-generational experience, not only will you find the delightful Jennifer Lee Fargo and her mother, Linda Montgomery Lee, but the generational aspect continues on with their artists, as well as clients. You’ll want to look for Steve Songer’s son, Jake Songer, also a renowned impressionist exhibiting at Montgomery-Lee and around the country. “It’s so rewarding to work with clients still purchasing our work over 20 years later, and now many of their children too,” shares Fargo. With a prominent and extensive collection cultivated over many years, Lee explains that if she’s not comfortable having it as part of her own home’s collection, she’s not hanging it on the walls of the gallery.
This year, Montgomery-Lee was honored to be selected as the host for the American Impressionist Society’s 18th Annual National Juried Competition. An honor reserved for galleries known to already host sizable, reputable impressionist collections, this destination art event drew artists and collectors from around the country— spotlighting the spectacular from Montgomery-Lee Fine Art, Park City and the 1,400 American impressionist painters participating in this national event.
