Rita Kirkman's paintings of animals have an unmistakable presence and a connection with the viewer. With a background in portraiture, she captures the spirit of each as an individual soul. Her process of underpainting the light forms a sense of place and depth that stimulates the imagination. The situations and expressions of her animals spark a human recognition within us. Kirkman was born an artist and has been using pastel since she was 11 years old. Since 2003 she has consistently won major awards in national and international competitions. Her work has been featured in the Pastel Journal and the Pratique des Arts Spécial Pastel, and published in many others. She is a Signature member of the Pastel Society of America and an Eminent Pastelist with the International Association of Pastel Societies. Kirkman's work is in public and private collections all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, Africa and Australia.
