STORY

Hello and cheers!
I’m so glad you’re visiting my site and excited to share a little bit of my journey with you.

I was born in Homs, Syria—a country rich with ancient history, vibrant art, delicious food, and genuine people. 

It was there, in elementary school, that I received my first art award. My art teacher framed and displayed my navy-and-maroon Persian rug painting in the school hallway and shared with me a few new techniques. That early recognition instilled in me two lessons: to believe in myself and to embrace art as a lifelong journey of growth and exploration.

As a teenager, my family immigrated to the United States, where San Antonio soon became home. I attended John Marshall High School and later earned my degree in Architecture from UTSA. While I enjoyed working in the architectural field after graduation, my path gradually shifted toward industrial design and business—fields that allowed me to blend creativity with innovation.

“First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage.” 😊 Shortly after I was married, my husband Abe and I combined our entrepreneurial spirit to co-found Helmy Associates, an industrial design and plastic manufacturing company. For the next 20 years, we dedicated ourselves to building both a business and a family.

What began in a modest 6,000-square-foot facility grew into a thriving 40,000-square-foot operation. Alongside the company’s growth, our greatest blessings arrived with the births of our daughter, Sara, and our son, Jonathan. Together, we balanced the challenges of entrepreneurship with the joys of parenthood, weaving our professional journey and family life into one shared story of hard work, perseverance, and love.

Life was challenging, but life was good. Then came 2009—the year of the Great Recession and, even more devastating, the untimely passing of my husband and business partner, Abe, to cancer. It was an incredibly difficult time, but I chose to keep Helmy Plastics moving forward, stepping into the role of CEO.

My years at Helmy, both as Vice President and later as CEO, have been deeply fulfilling. The demands of running the company meant that my art had to take a back seat, with only the occasional piece created for private collections. While my artistic output was limited, the business thrived. I found joy in working with remarkable clients, vendors, and team members, and I took pride in leading, mentoring, and growing alongside them.

Those years brought challenges, but also meaningful achievements—moments that shaped me not only as a business owner, but also as a community leader. For that journey, I remain forever grateful. 

Some of the Awards I was honored to receive include:

- 2025 Greater Chamber of Commerce Brenda Vickery Johnson Award

- 2023 Girls Inc. Bold Award

- 2020 Induction to San Antonio Women Hall of Fame

- 2020 San Antonio Manufacturer's Assoc Manufacturer of The Year

- 2018 National Assoc of Women Business Owners Woman of The Year

- 2018 North SA Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of The Year

- 2014 San Antonio Business Journal Business of The Year 

I am also proud to have been featured on TV, Radio and articles including:

- San Antonio Women Cover Story, Manufacturing Life and Art

- San Antonio Woman: Women Breaking The Glass Ceiling

- Plastic News: Women Breaking The Mold

- San Antonio Business Journal: From Syria to San Antonio, How her immigrant roots helped one CEO flourish.

- San Antonio Business Journal: Factories in the Fight, plastics manufacturer working to shield medical workers from coronavirus 

When it came to art, 2020 was a turning point for me—in the most positive way.

When COVID-19 arrived, I was determined to help the community. I led Helmy Plastics in pivoting our operations, retooling and converting manufacturing lines to produce much-needed medical face shields for first responders. The project kept me fully occupied during the day, but during the quiet, socially-distanced evenings, I sought a way to decompress and keep my mind engaged.

 I challenged myself to paint as much as possible, creating as many “Art Babies” as I could.

My passion for painting was reignited—old techniques improved, new ones were explored, and a prolific body of work emerged. Encouraged by this creative surge, I took a bold step forward: I went public, began selling my pieces, participated in art shows, and ultimately launched MonaHelmyArt.

As an artist, my favorite medium is acrylic, and my style is abstract. I absolutely adore vivid colors!

From time to time, I also explore working with metal and plastics, creating limited-edition mixed-media pieces.

Each creation is special to me—a true “Art Baby.” Yet I’ve also learned that part of the joy is sharing these “Art Babies” with others, allowing them to be enjoyed and collected.

My inspirations often come from culture and imagination. My mission as an artist is to create pieces that inspire, bring smiles, evoke happy memories, awaken the imagination, and simply speak loudly. As they say, the most special piece of art isn’t necessarily the most expensive—it’s the one that speaks loudest to you.

Beyond art, I love traveling and experiencing new cultures, spending time with family and friends, exploring diverse cuisines, enjoying meaningful conversations, and savoring a great cup of coffee anytime.

(Paris)

(Alaska)

Life is what you make of it, and I embrace it fully. My journey is about working hard, playing hard, loving deeply, giving generously, and remaining forever grateful that my glass is always half full.

Enjoy your journey…
xoxo,
Mona Helmy