Rophia Paul Bevan (Ngati Raukawa) was born in Whanganui in 1950. Bevan is a self-taught artist and has done a number of short term courses for art and pottery at the Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic (now known as UCOL). Some of his teachers were Raewyne Johnson, Rick Rudd, Ross Mitchell-Anyon and his cousin the artist John Bevan Ford.
Bevan has exhibited regularly at the Whanganui Community Art Centre and Whanganui Pottery Society annual exhibitions. More specifically he has shown in the following:
- Feb 1994 'Memories of the Parapara and the Whanganui River' a solo exhibition at the Whanganui Community Art Centre as part of the Whanganui River Festival;
- 1998 'The Spirit of Folk Art' an exhibition at Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui;
- 1999 'The River Show' at Te Wa, Whanganui;
- 1999-2000 'Pictures of Whanganui' at the Whanganui Community Art Centre;
- 2000 'Ten Years Exhibition' at the Whanganui Community Art Centre;
- 2000 'The Whanganui Show' at Te Wa, Whanganui.
Bevan's drawing of Pipiriki House was published on the front cover of Art New Zealand periodical issue 89 dated 1998-1999 and also on the front cover of the Sarjeant Quarterly publication in 1998.

Ropiha Paul Bevan is currently a member of the Whanganui Art Society, based at Cooks Gallery and is still painting. He states that he prefers to work in oil paint when it is possible. He has previously been a member of the Whanganui Potters Society and the Whanganui Community Arts Centre.

- written 4 Feb 2022