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Pet Owners Help Painter Rediscover Her Art

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May 5, 2009 6:40 am US/Mountain

Pet Owners Help Painter Rediscover Her Art

Written by Tom Mustin

Reporting
Tom Mustin
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (CBS4) ― A Douglas County woman is combining her artistic talents with her love of animals to pursue her dream job.

Nevet Montgomery, 75, has created a thriving business painting pet portraits from her home studio in Highlands Ranch.

"The first thing I do is put the eyes, the mouth and the nose in," Nevet said. "The eyes speak to me and the rest of the painting is done."

Montgomery started painting in grade school in Brooklyn. After winning a school talent contest, she realized she had the talent and passion to be an artist.

"You feel close to your heart, God, the universe. You feel close to people. I just need a brush in my hand," Montgomery said.

In 1980, Nevet put her artistic plans on hold to become a stock broker for Merrill Lynch in Washington. She retired as one of the company's first female vice presidents.

"They were very good to me, but it was time for me to get back to my art," she said.

Nevet returned to the canvas with no real plans to start a business, until four months ago.

"I hadn't thought of doing animals at all," she said. "I just started doing a little sketch and started showing it to people ... and boom."

After investing a few hundred dollars in supplies, Nevet Arts was born. Her pet portraits start at $250.

Pet owners like Dian Thieme and her dog Aramis have been giving Nevet all the business she can handle.

"She has a way of bringing out the beauty of the dog and showing you the dog for who he really is," Thieme said. "The eyes draw you in. You can see right into his soul."

Montgomery is now expanding her work to include children alongside their pets. She says the booming pet business is basically recession proof. True to form, she sees these tough financial times as an opportunity.

"This is an opportunity to do what you've always dreamed of doing. What you love. The thing you never gave yourself a chance or the time to do."

She also says people who are out of work or seeking a new job need to network and get educated about their new field.

"Get out. Take classes. Talk to people. Talk, talk, talk," she advises.

Meanwhile, Nevet Montgomery is practicing what she preaches -- beating the recession and enriching lives with the stroke of a brush.

"If I can put treasures in people's lives with my work, I can't imagine anything more wonderful."

(© MMX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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