CROSS COUNTRY
NOAPS’ Best of America
Showcasing artists spanning from coast to coast, the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society’s 29th annual Best of America National Juried Exhibition presents a rare opportunity to view a wide array of works hailing from 34 states, Canada and Selangor under one roof.
Out of the nearly 900 works submitted for the exhibition, 125 finalists were selected, which will be on view from September 27 through October 27 at Montgomery-Lee Fine Art in Park City, Utah.
“As Montgomery-Lee Fine Art represents artists from primarily the West, it is indeed interesting to see what artists from across the country, Canada and beyond are bringing to the table,” says gallery owner Linda M. Lee. “Whether the painting is landscape, figurative, wildlife, still life or portraiture, creativity abounds with the NOAPS artists. They represent amazing talent in the realm of traditional art, and we are proud to display the works of these accomplished artists on our walls.”
Among the featured artists is Barbara Nuss, whose work Early Swim will hang at the gallery. “On a recent plein air painting excursion, I discovered this tranquil scene at a nearby reservoir,” says Nuss. “My friend and I were the only people there, which made it even more peaceful. Occasionally the quiet, however, was interrupted with honking Canadian geese letting us know we were infringing on their space. So, naturally, I had to include a pair.”
Beth Marchant’s Leaving Tangier is a tale of conservation. “Tangier Island is a 1½-square-mile piece of land in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay off of Virginia,” she says. “The watermen who live and work there are harvesters of a significant amount of oysters and crabs in
the Bay. Because of its precarious future (the island is literally sinking), I wanted to try to preserve some of its beauty in my paintings.”
Also in the exhibition is A Touch of Pink by Patricia Tribastone. “My still life paintings usually begin with inspiration from one object,” she says about the work. “In this case it was the delicate roses with the subtle modulation of color from yellowgreen to pink. I then built the still life using other elements that varied in shape and size, but related to my color scheme. My overall goal is always to represent beauty in a thoughtful and sensitive manner.”
As part of Best of America, NOAPS Master artist Jian Wu will select the top works exhibited, and the winning artists will receive cash and merchandise awards totaling over $25,000 in value. Several events will also be held in conjunction with the exhibition, including an opening reception on September 27 from 5 to 8 p.m., a “meet and greet” dinner on September 26 at 6 p.m. and a workshop with Wu September 24 through 26.