An artist since her earliest memory, Rita Kirkman was drawing

her first portraits of friends and neighbors when she was only 11

years old, and had her first paid portrait commission at 17. She

began her professional career in 1986 as a Portrait Sketch Artist

for Kaman's Art Shoppes at Cedar Point Amusement Park in

Sandusky, OH.  Twelve years and four theme parks later, she

decided to "retire" from theme parks and dedicate her time to her

family and her artistic growth. 

"My years with Kaman's were invaluable; the speed and accuracy gained

from drawing live portraits eight hours a day, five, sometimes seven days a

week for so many years cannot be compared with any classrom or private

study."  Her experience as Manager (1992-1997) for Kaman's operations at

Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio also prepared her for running her own

business.

Currently, Rita Kirkman spends her weekdays with her family, her private

portrait commissions and an ongoing art education. Many weekends you can find her doing caricatures and portrait sketches at festivals and craft shows thoughout the South Central Texas area. "I reap tremendous satisfaction from a finished, detailed pastel painting, but quick-sketching will always be in my blood!"

Rita Kirkman entered a new phase in 2001, expanding her subject and style with a variety of genre, including landscape, still life and various members of the animal kingdom. This new direction for her was immediately rewarded with an entry into the

International Association of Pastel Societies 6th annual exhibition in 2002.

Only 67 paintings by 53 artists around the world were accepted for this

exhibit. Since then, her paintings have shown and won awards in several

local, national and international exhibits and competitions, and have been

published in 5 major art magazines.

       

Rita Kirkman Fine Art

Pastel Paintings

Rita Kirkman Fine Art

Pastel Paintings

About the Artist

P.O. Box 310184

New Braunfels, TX 78131

Associate of Arts   Lourdes College, Sylvania, OH1985

Bachelor of Fine Art        University of Dayton, OH1988

Misc life studies, pastel, still life, portrait, life drawing

      Coppini Academy of Fine Art, San Antonio  2001 - 2003

Workshops, (landscape, figure, portrait)                            2001-present

Steven Napper PSA,  Kathleen Cook PSA,  Jerry Hunsinger, 

Doug Dawson,  Bob Rohm PSA,  Susan Olgilvie PSA, Richard McKinley,

Judith Carducci, Maggie Price

Education

Recognition

Coppini Academy of Fine Art

October Artist of the Month     2002

Messina Hof Texas Artist Wine Label Competition

Finalist    2003

New Braunfels Art League Annual “Artoberfest”

Best of Show

First Place, pastel portrait2003

Coppini Academy of Fine Art

Artist of the Year    2004

Austin Pastel Society’s 4th Annual Juried Exhibition

Best of Show   2004

International Association of Pastel Societies 7th Juried Exhibition

Binney & Smith Gallery, Bethlehem, PA

Honorable Mention   2004

Coppini Academy of Fine Art Member’s Juried Exhibition

First Place in Pastel        2004

“Renaissance in Pastel” National Exhibition

Slater Memorial Museum, Norwich, CT

Wallis Corp. Sanded Pastel Paper Award        2004

Austin Pastel Society's 5th Annual Juried Exhibition

First Place in Show

Second Place Portrait    2005

International Pastel Open Juried Exhibition

Taiwan Center Gallery, Flushing, NY

T.M. Liao Award      2005

Pastel Society of New Mexico National Show

Hispanic Arts Bldg., Albuquerque, NM

Frank Federico Award     2005

New Braunfels Art League Gallery

Artist of the Year     2005

Austin Pastel Society's 6th Annual Juried Exhibition

First Place Portrait  2006

Pastel Society of North Carolina's First Juried Exhibition

Captain James and Emma Holt White House, Graham, NC

Best of Show   2007

Canyon Lake Art Guild Members Show

Best of Show 

First Place Drawing/Pastel      2007

International Association of Pastel Societies

Master Circle Award2007

The Official Texas State Arts & Crafts Fair, Kerrville, TX

Brochure cover and Fair Poster       2007

Coppini Academy of Fine Art Members Juried Exhibition

First Place in Pastel2007

Austin Pastel Society's 8th Annual Juried Exhibition

First Place Portrait  2008

New Braunfels Art League GallerySummer Show "Texas!"

First Place in Pastel2008

New Braunfels Art League Gallery "Colors of Autumn" Show

First Place in Photography      2008

Membership

Coppini Academy of Fine Art        since 2001

Pastel Society of America, Signature Member      since 2003

New Braunfels Art League            since 2003

Austin Pastel Society                   since 2003

San Antonio Art League since 2004

International Association of Pastel Societies, Master Circle   since 2007

Artist's Statement

"What is beautiful? Ask one hundred people and get one thousand answers, all of them different.

"For a long time as an artist, I've known that when I look at a thing, (a tree, a face, a cup,) I'm not seeing it as others around me see it. As a child I couldn't understand this. As children, ours is the only way of seeing.

"It  hasn't been until recently that I've realized that this unique sight belongs to everyone, be they artist or not. It's the way each individual person interprets the images transferred to the brain through the eyes. This realization has been a tremendous influence as an instructor, allowing me to help students see the accuracy of a two-dimentional image as well as nurturing their unique vision and individual style.

"Everyone, even those who believe themselves to be ‘average and uncreative’, are capable of unique visions of beauty in their everyday lives. The bored junior-exec, seeing nothing beyond her desk job and her 3-room apartment, will lose herself for a few minutes each evening watching her fish swim, enjoying the flashing colors and darting shapes and the reflections of light on the water’s surface.

"This way of seeing has been of greatest value not only in my personal artwork and commissions, but also in my daily life. Every day, I try to help my children see beauty in the world around them, even and especially in ordinary things. I try to encourage their understanding and acceptance of others having a vision different from their own, and help them realize that there is always something to be learned by trying to see beauty as defined by another."

                -Rita Kirkman

Publications

The Artist's Magazine            December 2004

American Artist Magazine  January 2005

The Pastel Journal    February 2005

International Artist Magazine    June/July 2005

Southwest Art  May 2007

Best of America; Pastels, from Kennedy Promotions      2007

Southwest Art May 2008

Galleries

Rivers Edge Gallery, Kerrville, TX     since 2007