Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Gregoire.
Hi Emily, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story starts with my Dad, he raised me as a single father, and as a stonemason and business owner, I always saw his as a type of sculptor. He made sure my life was filled with art and business from a young age. I remember some particularly hard times when money got so tight that we would draw and cut out hundred dollar bills and pretend we were rich. He never made me feel like we were missing anything and I knew that at the root of that was creativity.
Flash forward to the University of South Florida, I call my dad crying on a campus bench because I was terrified to tell him that although I was spending so much of his money to pursue a science degree, that I was actually falling in love with my art history classes, so much so that I was considering changing my major. It felt like I was turning a leap into a nose dive. And I will never forget his response. He said “well if you love it, you better do it. Because if you love it, you’ll be the best at it, and if you’re the best at it, you’ll be okay. Focus on what you love first, and the rest will come.” I don’t know about being the “best”, but I know I gave it my best under the pure focus that I would not let my dad down and that I sure as hell would not waste his money. I was determined that if I was going to chase my passion in such a niche and “unessential” field, that I was going to do it in a way that honored the back breaking work my dad did everyday, but also championed the love and need for art in our world.
Six of the best years of my life and a masters degree later, I wanted to go into art spaces that emphasized the power and presence of art, and never spread the untrue rumors of it’s extinction. That lead me from Florida to Dallas as the assistant director of Samuel Lynne Galleries. I will always be so incredibly grateful for the mentorship I received there. Kristin Rivas pulled me under her wing, and taught me all there was to know about art dealing and running an art gallery. She is a brilliant mind and there’s not a day I don’t think about how much her influence paved the way for what was to happen next.
One day I was sitting at the gallery, and like most days, I was eager to be the first one to answer the phone. And it rang, and this time on the other line was Lynn Martin, the executive assistant to a woman we all revered, Jo Ellard. Lynn told me a bit about this crazy idea that they had to bring Jo’s world class art collection into the walls of the new hotel she was building, and asked if I could point them towards the person who designed our website. At the very least, they wanted somewhere guests could go to see information on how special each artwork was. Luckily, I had been eager in all realms of the gallery, and told Lynn that it was actually me who had built our site. He asked if I’d ever consider freelancing a gallery website, and thinking about the wedding I had coming up, I excitedly put together a contract. Looking back, I really had no idea what this site would evolve into. First came the binders, 4 inch thick binders full of every single detail on each artwork Jo had ever collected. It was my job to organize this all onto a website that would help guide guests through the collection. As the site was being built, I was falling in love all over again, just like I had in college with my art history classes, but this time with the stories and lives of each of these artists that Jo had traveled around the world getting to know. The way they were daring and unapologetic but yet kind and compassionate fueled my love for contemporary art in a way that would drive the rest of my career. I wasn’t just studying the lives of the great artists who had passed away and now sit side by side in museums, now I was studying the living breathing art world, the beating pulse of what is currently being created and who is driving that momentum. The art world wasn’t dead, it was more alive than ever, and besides the artists, the true force behind that were the people like Jo, the collectors.
It soon became obvious to Jo and I that they were going to be an essential part of this system, and thus, Gallery at Bowie House was born. the collection that Jo had spent over 25 years carefully curating was going to be placed for sale, and we were going to create an ecosystem that focused on breathing life into the relationship between artist and collector. And where does that relationship start? At home. At our home, Bowie House. If Kristin Rivas taught me how to build the ship, Jo Ellard taught me how to see it around corners.
From there I spent the next year carefully curating what would become a traditional gallery inside of a very non conventional space. I knew art, but being a girl from Cape Cod, who had just spent the last half decade in Florida and then a couple of years in Dallas, I wasn’t sure how the city of Fort Worth would receive me, but they have fully welcomed me in with open arms. When I made the initial choice to move to Texas, Fort Worth is every single thing I hoped the west would be. From the world class museums to the world’s largest honky tonk, our sweet and unexpected city truly has it all. Fort Worth stands as a reminder to me that growth and maintaining a strong identity can happen at the same time. It is a city that made me feel proud to be at home, and a city that set the tone for how we would build the business.
The last year has been a wild roller coaster with mostly fierce ups, and it is the city of Fort Worth that I have to thank for all the love and success our gallery, Bowie House, and me and my husband have been given. Jo our owner built the hotel as a love letter to Fort Worth that stands to say we aren’t a space that was created for just our traveling guests, but also a space that pays tribute to the complexity and charm of our city. As far as Jo’s collection, only about 10% of it is left, the rest has moved onto other homes, and now we enjoy growing relationships with our artists and guests alike through the constant changing of the artwork, just as it was always intended to be. The collection, Bowie House, and my spirit have learned to love the ever changing and evolving nature of the city we call home, and I look forward to seeing how it will continue to build me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing up, my life was pretty complicated. My mom struggled with schizophrenia, which meant there was a lot of unpredictability and chaos most days. On top of that, my whole family was dealing with addiction issues, so it was a pretty turbulent environment. It was tough, and eventually the system stepped in and I went into foster care for awhile. But then, when I was eight, my grandma, who had never stopped fighting for me, stepped in and adopted me. She became my safe haven, and even if she was stricter than a military sergeant, she made me feel safe and like life could finally have some stability.
Things really started to change when my grandma encouraged my dad to get sober and help raise me. He took that step, and honestly, I have to give him full credit for the way he devoted himself to getting clean. Having him in my corner gave me more slight feelings of normalcy and less feelings of parental betrayal. I motivated myself through school, fighting every day to prove that I would be nothing like the rest of my family, and that I could be someone who would make my grandma proud. I was determined to get into a good college on scholarship, too broke to afford anything else, and I worked to make it happen. No matter what promises others had broken, I was determined to never break a promise I made to myself.
My childhood was full of hardship, but it also made me stronger, more resilient. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and excited about what’s ahead. Honestly, I just want to keep growing, building a future I can be proud of, and making sure the cycle stops here.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m the gallery director at Bowie House, and it’s honestly one of the coolest gigs I could have asked for. I have founded and get to get to run the first-of-its-kind art gallery in the world—where every single room and public space in the hotel is filled with art for sale. We do another thing that no other gallery in the world does, showcase art from other galleries as a way to uplift the entire industry. It’s a totally unique concept that’s never been done before, and I love being part of something that pushes the boundaries of how art is displayed and collected.
Besides that, I serve on the curatorial board of the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, one of the most important ways I spend my time in hopes that I can give back a fraction of what DCAC provides for children every year. I also teach courses at TCU about building art businesses and running galleries, sharing what I’ve learned along the way. It’s really exciting to help guide the next generation of artists and gallery owners, especially as a young woman who’s stepping into the art world and truly hoping to transform the field of art dealing.
I work with top artists around the world, sometimes traveling but constantly meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. I’m fortunate to be doing what I love, blending my passion for art with entrepreneurship, and grateful for the support and mentorship I’ve been given along the way.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I honestly believe that you should take a lot of risks if you want to grow and succeed. Playing it safe all the time doesn’t lead to big change or breakthrough moments. You’ve got to be willing to leap into the unknown, try new things, and even fail. Risk is a necessary part of pushing boundaries and creating something historical.
That said, I also believe you need to back up those risks with hard work and preparation. When luck and opportunity come knocking—because they will—you better be ready. Taking risks without the effort, planning, and discipline to support them isn’t enough. It’s about being bold enough to take risks while also being smart enough to have your foundation in place. That way, when those right moments happen, you’re ready to jump in and turn the opportunity into something real. I’ve learned that being fearless but prepared is what really opens doors.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://galleryatbowiehouse.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galleryatbowiehouse/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-m-gregoire-211856140
Image Credits
Meraf Berhanu
