Today we’d like to introduce you to Janelle Montgomery.
Hi Janelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2022, Entrada of Texas approached me about a James Turrell Skyspace planned for Fort Worth at Keith House. Would I like to help them complete the project and then operate it? I deeply admire Turrell’s work and was thrilled to be part of bringing one of his pieces to North Texas.
Construction of Keith House began in July 2022. Although it is a secular space, Keith House is modeled after a Quaker meeting house, with a large central room where Turrell’s Skyspace is located. The art installation, titled “Come to Good,” was completed in late 2024 and opened to the public in early 2025. At sunrise and sunset, the roof opens, and visitors can watch the changing light in the sky interact with changing lights on the Keith House ceiling. Sometimes we have concerts or meditation or other structured programs in the space.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Few projects of this caliber go 100 percent according to plan. One unexpected challenge involved the exterior stone. We harvested blocks from a historic ranch house belonging to the Keith family near Wichita Falls. Getting the “random rhythm” of the original arrangement, however, took the masonry crew three or four tries. It was worth it, though. The exterior of Keith House has, to my eye, a unique blend of motion and stability appropriate to the experience of a Skyspace.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Bringing Turrell’s “Come to Good” to our community required that I draw from all my former lives: manager, consultant, entrepreneur, and curator. I can’t say which personal attribute made the most difference; but persistence, adaptability, and creativity all played a part. Twenty years of living in Fort Worth was also key. A number of friends and colleagues contributed their expertise to the effort and cheered us on when things got frustrating.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
So many! The Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation provided the funding to make the project possible. The architect, Bennett Partners, worked closely with James Turrell’s Studio and Josh Pazda Hiram Butler gallery to design all aspects of the building and art installation. During construction, the talented team at Spaw Glass served as General Contractor, and The Projects Group served as Owners’ Representative. Our doors would not be open without our dedicated board members, invaluable volunteers, and accomplished staff, as well as our partners at Glint Advertising and Fortafy. And I apologize to anyone I overlooked.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://keithhouse.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/keithhousefw
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/keithhousefw
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/keith-house
