Noe Perez (b. 1958) is a contemporary artist living in Corpus Christi, Texas. He was born and raised in Falfurrias, Texas. Interested in art from a young age, Perez’s artistic education began in his early teens as he studied with various local artists. Despite his love of art, he chose to major in engineering. Perez earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering at A&I University in Kingsville.
Unwilling to put aside his intense interest in art, Perez has continued to advance his artistic abilities, attending plein air painting workshops with Plein Air Painters of America artists Ron Rencher and George Strickland. Most of his work is done in the studio from photographs and plein air sketches. Perez believes that plein air painting is an essential exercise for any landscape painter, and he paints outside whenever possible. He paints the South Texas landscape – dusty terrain dotted with low brush and cactus in bright sunlight – using beautifully realistic colors that are equally muted and vibrant. Noe Perez is a master at capturing the beauty and essence of South Texas from San Antonio to the Rio Grande.
Noe’s subject emphasis is in the South Texas landscape where he grew up and still lives. Noe’s work is influenced by the San Antonio school of early Texas Impressionism – Julian Onderdonk, Jose Arpa, Porfirio Salinas, Robert Wood, and Dawson Dawson-Watson. Noe graduated in 1979 from Texas A & I and was a practicing engineer for over 40 years. During this time, work and a family kept him pretty busy, but he still found time to produce original artwork in a home studio. “Most of my spare time is spent painting, planning new paintings, or reading about art. I enjoy many types of art, but Texas art is the closest to my heart.”
“I like to study the original works that inspire me whenever I have the opportunity. Some of my favorite artists include William Merritt Chase and Joaquin Sorolla as well as painters Julian Onderdonk and Porfirio Salinas.” Noe has participated in the Night of Artists Art Show and Dinner for the benefit of the Briscoe Museum. In the last few years, Noe has also participated in the Kerrville Museum of Western Art’s annual Roundup. Noe’s artwork is included in the book Texas Traditions (2010) and in Of Texas Rivers & Texas Art published in 2017.
In 2015, Noe received a commission from King Ranch to create a painting commemorating the one-hundred-year anniversary of the historic Main House. In Winter 2021, King Ranch: A Legacy in Art was published by Texas A & M University Press, featuring the paintings of Noe Perez with insightful essays from Bruce Shackelford, Ron Tyler, and Bob Kinnan. This book celebrates the many ways ‘King Ranch culture’ has enriched appreciation for the decorative, practical, and fine arts in Texas and the greater American West. An exhibition of the King Ranch paintings opened in December 2021 at the Witte Historical Museum in San Antonio, Texas. The King Ranch exhibition has also traveled to the National Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, OK, and the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi.
Most recently, Noe has completed a mural for the Ralston Family Collections Center at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Noe Perez’s artwork is included in the 2023 publication, The Art of Texas State Parks published by Texas A&M Press celebrating the centennial anniversary of Texas State Parks.