Statement

Hey, what’s up, I’m Ari Montanez

As a child I loved to draw, so much so, that I would get in trouble just to be sent to the principal's office and sketch. Instead of being sent to the principal's office one day, I was sent home and then directly to my room. In my boredom, checking out my favorite Lebron shoes, I discovered a DVD in the shoe box. It was the design process of Nike's Jason Petrie. I found my passion that day and my dream career.

I have been chasing this dream since high school when I was accepted into the Pensole Intensive at MIT. That program is what brought me to ArtCenter. As a designer, I want to guide the emotional experience from start to finish, from concept generation all the way to marketing strategies.

I want to create products that empower people and create confidence. As I follow cultural trends and blend styles, I want to explore the universality of my design work and allow people to elevate their mindset.