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About Nanybel

Nanybel started painting with watercolors and oils at the age of five. Soon enough she discovered charcoal and pastels, and fell in love with portraiture, which became her self-taught and lifelong pursuit.

Back in Caracas, she founded a unique art and crafts business, which launched her into national television, hosting her own live segment on a weekly show.


After moving to the United States in 1996, she quickly earned a reputation for her realistic portrait style, completed many commissions and won several awards at fine art competitions. In 2011, after years of doing portraits strictly by commission and teaching portraiture drawing through private classes- but otherwise in relative isolation from the art world- Nanybel added floral paintings to her portfolio and joined The Portrait Society of Atlanta, Southeastern Pastel Society, Degas Pastel Society, Pastel Society of America, North Cobb Arts League and Quinlan Arts Center.

 

She had the privilege to study with master portraitist Jon Houghton and master Pastel artist Fred Somers, and resumed exhibiting her work, entered fine art competitions and won several national and international awards. She wrote and article on Jon Houghton’s workshop at the Portrait Society of Atlanta, which was published in an issue of their prestigious FOLIO magazine. She also served as the model for the Portrait Society of Atlanta workshop by artist Dawn Whitelaw on Feb 2-4, 2012.


She wrote several articles and served as editor and photographer for the FOLIO magazine, modeled for the Atlanta Artists Center and was featured and interviewed by “Voyage Atlanta” magazine.
Nanybel earned the prestigious Southeastern Pastel Society’s “Member of Excellence” diploma and The Portrait Society of Atlanta’s “Member of Merit” Status.

 
Trying to break from her strong attraction to realism and details, Nanybel has tried to embrace other subjects, media, even traditional techniques, but invariably surrender to her obsession with portraiture using her personal approach and methods. "At night in my studio, so quiet and surrounded by paper and boards, charcoals, pastels and some carefully chosen photographs, feels just like Heaven."

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Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Nanybel has also lived in France and in the United Arab Emirates, and currently resides in the state of Georgia, in the United States.

 

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Education

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Nanybel's education includes the studies of Architecture in Caracas, Venezuela; the French language at La Sorbonne University and Architecture of Interiors at the private art college Académie Charpentier, in Paris, France.

 

Professional Affiliations
Portrait Society of Atlanta 
Southeastern Pastel Society

Past Professional Affiliations
Degas Pastel Society
North Cobb Arts League
Women Painters of the South
Quinlan Visual Arts Center


Awards
• Southeastern Pastel Society International Juried Exhibition, Oglethorpe Museum of Arts, Atlanta, GA

Merit Award: "Pensive Natalia"- Pastel Portrait painting
Finalist: "Pondering Nymphaea". Pastel Floral painting (May 2014)
• Portrait Society of Atlanta Summer Juried Exhibition, Mableton, GA
3rd Place: "Traditional Perfections". Pastel painting (June 2013)
• First United Methodist Church Festival of Arts, Cumming, GA
Best in Show (2 dimensions): "Traditional Perfections". Pastel painting (April 2013)
• Portrait Society of Atlanta Winter Juried Exhibition, Acworth, GA,
Finalist: "Self Acceptance" (self-portrait) -Pastel painting (February 2013)
• The Degas Pastel Society 14th Biennial National Juried Exhibition, Covington, LA
Merit Award: "Pondering Nymphaea"- Pastel painting (September 2012)
• Portrait Society of Atlanta Summer Juried Exhibition, Gwinnett Historic Courthouse, Gwinnett, GA Finalist: "Pensive Natalia". Pastel painting (July 2012)
• Southeastern Pastel Society 15th International Juried Exhibition, Oglethorpe Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
Exceptional Merit Award: "Translucent Orchid". Pastel painting (May 2012)
• 3rd Avery Memorial Juried Exhibition, sponsored by the NLAPW, Atlanta
Chapter, Mableton, GA
Honorable Mention: "Translucent Orchid". Pastel painting (January 2012,
• Quinlan Cultural Arts Center Members Juried Exhibition, Gainesville, GA
2nd Place: "Pretty As Can Be"- Pastel painting (October 2011)

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CFUMC The Best in Show Two Dimensional Award 2013.JPG
SPS International Juried Ehhibition- Merit Award- Pensive Natalia- 2014.JPG
SPS 15th International Juried Exhibition-2012- Exceptional Merit Award.JPG
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