My work ranges from oil paintings on canvas to tiny gouache and colored-pencil drawings in my sketchbook series, Dear Cro(w)nies. Inspired by my cats, Patchouli and Pyewacket, along with a recurring cast of crows and other curious characters, my work finds humor and a little magic in ordinary life.

I earned my BFA in Illustration from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design and am represented by Sadler Gallery in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. My work has grown through years of sketching, painting, experimenting, and paying attention to the little things.

I love creating art that feels familiar but slightly unexpected. The kind that makes you smile, pause for a moment, or feel as though you’ve stepped into a story you somehow already know.

Thank you for visiting my little corner of the world.
Rita

About Rita Maria

Hello! I’m Rita, an artist and illustrator creating a small world of cats, crows, and the everyday moments that make life a little more magical.