noaps president 2020
Patricia Tribastone / New York
Patricia’s dream of being an artist began the moment she held a crayon. The dream became reality after a 20 year career as a dietitian, when she left the health care field to devote herself to her art. She started in colored pencil and pastel, and gained national recognition for her work in the pastel medium. As a self-taught artist, she trained herself to paint in oils, focusing mainly on still life. The bold use of color and light are distinguishing elements of her work, with an emphasis on drawing skills. Many of her still life paintings incorporate colorful fruits and vegetables, mainly for their interesting shapes and vibrancy.
Patricia is a Signature Member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, a juried member of several national art organizations including a Master Pastelist with the Pastel Society of America, a Master Circle artist with the International Association of Pastel Societies, a juried member of the International Guild of Realism, and the Salmagundi Club of New York City. She also holds memberships in other national and regional art organizations.
Patricia has been teaching oil and pastel painting for adults since 2004, both locally and out of state. She currently maintains a gallery/studio in Canandaigua, NY where she exhibits her own work and that of local and regional artists.
noaps treasurer - past president 2015
Hebe Brooks/ Texas
Born in Patagonia, Argentina, Hebe began traveling at an early age. As an exchange student in Pennsylvania, painting was her favorite class. In college at La Universidad del Comahue, she enjoyed art history and world culture classes. Upon graduation from college, she traveled extensively and worked in different parts of the world visiting art museums and archaeological sites from Europe to the Far East and all through the Americas. Studying languages enhanced her communication skills and gave her the opportunity to imbue herself with the local folklore where she lived or visited. A second degree in Fine Arts, Studio Painting with the Magna Cum Laude honor from the University of Houston led to the consolidation of her passion for art.
Hebe is an active participant in National and International exhibits and she has received many awards and recognitions including the NOAPS Master Artist designation. Her work has been presented in art shows, art galleries, and it is part of private collections.
Hebe supports the arts through her voluntary involvement. As a current NOAPS Board Director, she procures advertising opportunities to promote NOAPS and its members, she coordinates efforts to support members and she carries the duties of treasurer for the organization. Aside from NOAPS, Hebe is an active Docent at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) exposing her to a continuous art learning experience and the opportunity to see some of the best art exhibitions in the United States.
Email: Membership@NOAPS.org
noaps vice president quality control & talent coordinator
Cheng Lian/ Texas
Cheng Lian was born in 1955 in Shanghai, China. Part of a close-knit, highly-talented family, he learned art since he was a little boy from his father, a famous artist and professor. He graduated from China Academy of Fine Art (a famous art school in China known as Zhejiang Academy of Fine Art), and he was an honored student in the art school.
As an artist Cheng has traveled to many places in China, Asia, United States, North America, Europe and South America; he uses his artist eyes observing things that he has seen like people and scenery, and he created eye catching, breathe taking portraits, landscapes and still lives with his unique style.
Publication:
American Art Collector (USA), Art World News - cover (USA), Artists of Chinese Origin in North America Directory (USA), Chinese Select Oil Painting Artists (Japan)
noaps secretary
Karolyn Farrell/ Arkansas
Karolyn has enjoyed painting, selling and winning awards from an early age. She won a monetary award for first place in a state wide safety contest by sketching her father posing with a hunting rifle when she was nine. Although she had art scholarships, she combined art, science and education into her undergraduate degrees, with Creativity in the older adult emphasis. She enjoyed working in the sciences, teaching and serving as an educational administrator in public and higher education all the while successfully painting in oils and pastels. When growing up, she was able to travel and visit many art museums. She continues to study and travel in Europe and other areas for painting and studying. Her art is in medical, corporate and private offices and homes around the USA and Asia. She has received many major awards. Her greatest joy is when an individual is so moved by a commissioned piece that he or she breaks into tears of joy and later relates how the art brings them happiness, peace, and serenity.
A worldwide video was disseminated of her intergenerational art work. She has been published in numerous newspapers, publications and magazines. She was featured in a recent book, Artists as World Changers, due to her vision, passion and purpose. She feels arts were developed as Henri stated to "capture and recall the happiness and greater wisdom of our life." Critics have deemed her art as "passionate." She is known as a colorist who understands art theory and produces it. She enjoys painting "plein air" as well as studio work and is grateful to her collectors who appreciate her landscapes, waterscapes , and figurative art. She is represented by galleries in AR and MO.
She is a member of Oil Painters of America, NOAPS signature member, signature member of Artists of NW AR, Plein Air Painters, American Impressionistic Society, Mid American Pastel Society, Who's Who among Women internationally, in America, and in the South, National Museum of Women in the Arts and others.
noaps director - on-line exhibitions
Ober-Rae Star Livingstone/ Canada
I am a self-taught artist who finds his inspiration in the beauty of nature. As a young man I travelled around the world and feel that much of what I experienced visually and emotionally makes its way into my paintings. I have been painting for over 40 years.
My early work was largely abstract and it became more representational as I turned to landscape painting with the desire to express the beauty I find in nature. The love of colour has always been an essential element in my work.
I am a member of the International Society of Acrylic Painters as well as the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society. My paintings have won numerous awards and are in public and private collections world-wide. My work has been published in the Acrylic Artists Magazine, the International Artist Magazine, The Artist’s Magazine as well as in North Light Books’ “Acrylic Works 4 – Captivating Color”. One of my pieces will be featured in “Acrylic Works 5 – Bold Values” in 2018.
I feel that it is an honour to be on the board of NOAPS and to have the opportunity to serve a community of inspiring artists from all across the continent.
A favourite quote: Marc Chagall “If I create from the heart, nearly everything works: if from the head, almost nothing.”
noaps membership director
Karen Budan / Arizona
Karen has had a lifelong desire to express herself through art beginning with paint by number kits at a very early age, quickly moving outside the lines established by others to create her own compositions. She enjoyed a very successful first career in education, primarily administration and consulting. However, she always held alive her art interest through classes and workshops. After retiring, Karen and her husband relocated to Scottsdale, AZ. A major decision point for choosing Scottsdale was the active art community.
Originally a pastel artist Karen tried oils in 2012 and has never looked back. She is a contemporary still life painter painting in a hyperrealist style. Her paintings feature bold color and the impact of light on and through objects.
Karen’s work in pastel and oil has been shown in juried exhibitions across the United States as well as solo gallery shows. She has been featured in a number of publications and holds signature status in the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, The Pastel Society of America, the Arizona Pastel Artists Association, the Pastel Society of the West Coast, and Master Circle status in the International Association of Pastel Societies. She is also a juried member of the International Guild of Realism and the Oil Painters of America.
Artist's website
noaps website director
Rosa Montante / New York
Rosa Montante was born in Serradifalco, (CL) Italy; migrating to Upstate NY with her family at age 12. Montante at an early age showed a love for drawing, inspired by religious art and architecture. In her teen years her love of art deepened, pursuing a Fine Arts Degree at Nazareth College of Rochester. In lieu of personal issues; Montante took a respite from her artistic focus. With as much passion pursuing a rewarding career in Operations / Market Research / Human Resources Management, traveling extensively, thus having the opportunity to visit various museums and enjoying the beauty of old masters paintings. Hoping to revitalize her love of art, in 2005 she took a local workshop in Oil Painting and has been painting ever since. Montante continuously seeks a deeper understanding of art by observing masterpieces, reading as well as learning from carefully selected international acclaimed artists.
Currently, Montante is the NY Territory HR Director for Metalico Inc. during the day and a representational artist at night. She is a member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society (NOAPS), a member of the American Women Artists (AWA), a signature member of the Rochester Art Club (RAC), and an Oil Painter Instructor at the Art Stop in Penfield, New York, where she shares her passion for the old masters’ painting process with aspiring artists. Among Montante’s most accomplished achievements: her painting “Pat’s Roses” is part of the Fort Wayne Museum of Art’s permanent still life collection; other paintings acquired by private collectors nationally.
Passionate, expressive and honest, Montante’s floral / still life and/or portrait paintings capture the truest essence of life on canvas; enticing the viewer to participate and relish in life’s ordinary details. Montante is inspired by the impact of light, color, temperature and shadows, and chooses to interpret her subjects with dramatic lighting. Her love of flower gardening provides an infinite source of inspiration for her floral paintings, as she makes every attempt to represent flowers in the most magnificent and purest manner. Through her paintings, Montante aspires to reveal to the viewer a sense of stillness and movement, frailty and strength, fleetingness and existence, capturing the very essence of a moment in time.
noaps publicity director
Robin Williamson/
Robin Williamson is an award-winning artist living and working in Texas. She is best known for her refined, delicate, and realistic style of painting in oils. After obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, and a successful career in Information Technology, Robin "retired" to raise her three children. While doing so, she re-ignited a life-long love affair with art. When her youngest child finally went to kindergarten, Robin took her first formal oil-painting class and was hooked! She left the technical world behind beginning her artistic
journey into oil painting and has never looked back. After only four years of painting, she won her first award in a national art competition. Robin has gone on to win numerous national and international awards and has been featured in International Artist, Southwest Art, and American Art Collector Magazines.
Painting people is Robin’s first love. She has spent countless hours studying anatomy and drawing in order to further advance her painting skills. She studied ballet as a young woman and now skillfully combines her love of dance and art by painting ballet dancers. Robin is passionate about sharing her craft and has recently opened her own school, The DaVinci Studios. She is a signature member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painter's Society, Oil Painters of America, and American Women Artists. She is a member of the Portrait Society of America, the Cecilia Beaux Forum, the Art League of Fort Bend, and is a Boldbrush sponsored artist.
Robin has exhibited both nationally and internationally and has won numerous awards, including being juried into the prestigious Art Renewal Center International Salon four times. She has won top international awards in Oil Painters of America, Portrait Society of America, and National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, including a Figurative Award of Excellence for her painting, “Holding On To A Dream”. Robin’s work can be seen at www.robinwilliamsonfineart.com
and Lost Creek Gallery in Calvert, TX.
noaps sponsorhip director
Lisa Price /
Lisa’s love of art began as a young girl and has continued throughout the years with an increasing desire to express her passion on canvas. After many years of working in the interior design industry as a muralist and decorative artist, she began painting commissioned portraits while also working as an insurance defense paralegal.
Today Lisa continues her commission work but also paints a variety of subject matter with equal joy. Using a variety of techniques, her inspiration is light, shadow, simple forms, and the excitement and challenge of drawing the viewer into each painting to create a unique and emotional art experience.
Lisa is a Signature member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society, an associate member of the Oil Painters of America, and a member of Alabama Plein Air Artists. Her greatest pleasure and where she finds the most peace is creating in the studio and continuing her studies in order to grow as an artist.
noaps social media director
Tamara Sigler / Oklahoma
Tamara Sigler always enjoyed the colorful prairie grasses, red dirt, and rolling thunderstorms where she was raised. She spent years adventuring in her home state of Oklahoma and exploring the beauty of the Southwest and Rocky Mountain States. After completing the Art Foundation Program at Kansas City Art Institute and earning a BFA from Oklahoma City University, she entered a successful career in web design and digital imaging.
Now able to devote energies to painting full time, it is clear how the years of design, illustration and exploration are brought to the canvas. Her art reflects the strong colors and patterns inspired by her home and her travels, and showcase a contemporary approach to composition along with a love and respect for traditional painting techniques.
Tamara has shown by invitation in the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s Small Works Great Wonders Show and had work displayed in the Butler Museum of American Art. She has participated in numerous juried shows, including the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society's Best of America Small Paintings, Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibition, Bosque Art Classic, Heroes and Outlaws: 100 Oklahomans by 100 Oklahoma Artists, and the Rusty Gables Spring Stampede. Awards include Best of Show for “Trail’s End”, Master Artist Award from the Bauhaus Prairie Gallery, and the Native Star Award. She is included in Linda Millier Bosteels’s book, The Spirit of the Buffalo, Oklahoma’s Past and Future.
Artist’s Website