Rita was born in Belfast in 1959.
She studied figure drawing at college and even worked when she was on holiday in New York City drawing street portraits.
She is very much influenced by the world around her.
Image source, Courtesy of National Museums NI, Ulster Museums CollectionsWhat inspires Rita?
Rita believes that the art she makes should reflect the time and place we live in.
She grew up at a time of conflict in Northern Ireland, and her paintings show what she saw and felt at that time.
Rita uses wit and humour in her artwork to help her get her message across.
Security barrier - this painting shows a time in Belfast when shoppers and their bags were checked by police before going into the city centre. In the background you can see the City Hall, and an old red city bus.
Image source, Courtesy of National Museums NI, Ulster Museums Collections
Image source, Courtesy of National Museums NI, Ulster Museums CollectionsWhere is Rita now?
Rita now lives in Ballyconnell, just south of the border with Northern Ireland.
She still paints things that are happening in the present day.
Her style is very personal and her artwork shows how she is feeling about the events she paints, such as how the government reacted to Covid.
Her paintings are stories of the news around us.
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