About Us
Elle Art Consulting is a full-service art consulting firm specializing in contemporary art and dedicated to creating meaningful connections between art, people, and place.
We believe art has the power to transform spaces, spark dialogue, and create lasting cultural value. Through thoughtful, client-centered art consulting, we help collectors, businesses, and cultural institutions engage with art in ways that are intentional, impactful, and deeply connected to their communities.
We advise collectors at every stage of their collecting journey, from discovering their first original artwork to building and managing established collections. Our approach is rooted in understanding each client's interests, vision, and goals to develop collections that are both personally meaningful and thoughtfully considered.
For artists, we provide project management support for ambitious commissions, public art projects, exhibitions, and installations. We guide projects from concept through fabrication and final installation, bringing together the people, resources, and expertise needed to bring creative visions to life.
At the heart of our practice is a commitment to championing exceptional artists, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities, while expanding opportunities for their work to be seen, collected, commissioned, and experienced.
We approach every project with curiosity, care, and integrity, balancing creative vision with thoughtful execution to meet the unique needs of each client and collaborator. Ultimately, we believe art is more than what occupies a wall or fills a space. It is a powerful means of building relationships between artists, communities, and culture.
Our Philosophy
We believe that collecting art is an act of stewardship. Every project is an opportunity to support artists, preserve cultural narratives, and create spaces that foster connection, reflection, and belonging. Through thoughtful curation and collaborative partnerships, we help clients build collections that tell meaningful stories and leave a lasting legacy.
About the Founder
Michelle Ruiz
Founder & Executive Director, Elle Art Consulting
Michelle Ruiz is an arts and culture professional, curator, and project manager with more than 17 years of experience spanning art consulting, collection management, public art, nonprofit arts programming, and the commercial art market. As Founder and CEO of Elle Art Consulting, she brings together curatorial vision, strategic thinking, and project management to connect collectors, businesses, and cultural institutions through art.
Throughout her career, Michelle has managed art collections and programs across corporate, healthcare, hospitality, and residential environments at Gallery 1871, guiding projects from artwork sourcing and acquisition through framing, installation, and collection management. At the US Latinx Art Forum, she supported the launch of the Latinx Artist Fellowship, a groundbreaking national initiative recognizing leading intergenerational Latinx artists living and working in the United States and Puerto Rico. The fellowship awarded $50,000 in unrestricted funding to each of 15 artists per cohort, alongside museum programming that she co-managed with institutional partners: Whitney Museum of American Art, El Museo del Barrio, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the National Museum of Mexican Art, and the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico. Supported by the Ford Foundation and the Mellon Foundation and administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts, the initiative expanded opportunities for Latinx artists to advance their practices and reach broader audiences.
Michelle later joined Freeman’s Auction House as a Marketing Associate, supporting strategic marketing, communications, public relations, and special projects for America’s oldest auction house. Collaborating with specialists across collecting categories, she helped advance brand visibility, develop marketing initiatives, and engage collectors and audiences across a diverse range of markets. Her work supported more than 140 auctions and 80 events annually across Chicago, Philadelphia, Palm Beach, Denver, Cincinnati, and New York City, contributing to the firm’s regional and national outreach across the fine art, antiques, and luxury collecting markets.
Committed to advancing underrepresented artists within the art market and creating opportunities for community connection through grassroots initiatives, Michelle has also contributed to public art and community engagement through her board service with the Berwyn Public Art Initiative from 2020 to 2023. She has also shared her expertise through guest speaking engagements with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Morton College, Nashville Design Week, Artist Voice & Vision, and Art Catalyst Lab.
Michelle holds a B.A. in Visual Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago, alongside certificates in Art Value and Investment and Art as a Global Business from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, and Arts and Culture Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a 2025 Mujeres de HACE Entrepreneurs Program Fellow and a 2024 National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) Leadership Institute Fellow.
Through Elle Art Consulting, Michelle champions thoughtful collecting, ambitious artistic projects, and expanded opportunities for BIPOC artists. Her work bridges the commercial art market, cultural institutions, and grassroots communities, fostering meaningful connections between art, people, and place.
