Artist, Writer, Educator
Rita Wilson is a writer with an MFA in Creative Non-Fiction from Carlow University in Pittsburgh and extensive experience in teaching writing. She is an artist who works primarily in oils, and has been a member of the West Hills Art League in Western Pennsylvania for the past several decades. Examples of her artwork are featured below, along with information about her writing.
Please scroll down the page to learn about her art and writing, and to read her Artist’s Statement and Writer’s Thoughts.
Featured Art Work – Places, People, Pets, (and some Produce!)
Harrisburg Train Station 
Pittsburgh at Night 
Sunset at Cedar Key 
On the Northside 
Irish Coastal Town 
Santorini Sunrise 
Lucca Rooftops 
On Montparnasse Boulevard 
Morning Rain 
Desidero 
Pittsburgh From the Stadium 
Wales Seaside 
Praiano Sunset 
Apo Milea 
At the Riverwalk 
Iceland Abstract View 1 
View 2 
View 3 
Joy 
Portrait of Louis 
Tribute to Prince 
Liz 
La Angustia de Nadal 
Nick 
Portrait of Marg 
Remembering Mihir 
The Man Who Sold the World 
Bouzouki Player 
Mahomes! 
Whatever it Takes 
Best Friends 
Play Ball 
The O’Donnell Sisters on a Rainy Morning 
Milady 
Brady 
Better Times 
Miss Bubbs 
Barkley! 
Tucker Bubbs 
Bowl of Radishes 
Pears on Black 
Farmers’ Market
My Writing and Art
My Book
Greek Lessons: A Cultural Odyssey
“The fascination of this book is its richly detailed evocation of Greek immigrant life across he generations in America, combined with alluring return journeys of discovery to Greece. The lives of those who moved to America, and those who stayed put in their ancestral homeland, are lovingly evoked in a richly rewarding and highly personal account of daily life and social history…a vivid and original celebration of what it means to be Greek.”
Brian Leyden, Author of The Home Place
Writing Classes and Workshops
It has been my pleasure to teach creative writing and English as a career. In addition to educating university students and secondary students, I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring adult writers, editing manuscripts, developing and teaching creative writing workshops to both young writers and adults, and creating and teaching a business writing workshop to the US Coast Guard. I am available to tailor a workshop for your group,
Other Publications
My short story, Nature’s Bounty, was inspired by an NPR story on the senseless slaughter of wolves in the Northwest. It was featured in wolfmatters.org. http://www.wolfmatters.org/blog/short-story-art-by-rita-wilson
My poetry has been published in Riverspeak and Voices in the Attic.
Art Awards and Exhibits
My art work has won awards (Best of Show, Third Place, People’s Choice) at the annual West Hills Art League juried art show, and the PTI Educators Show, and has been juried in to the Merrick Gallery and published in Rune Literary Magazine. One-person shows include Divitias Gallery and Anchor and Anvil. My most recent exhibition was City Home, a cooperative endeavor of four local artists featuring the concept of Pittsburgh and Home.
Commissions
My commissions have varied from cherished pets, to a ship where an engaged couple first met, to a favorite sports legend, to a modernistic nude. I would be happy to talk to you about creating a piece of original art for you.
Artist’s Statement
My immersion in art begins with the vision of shapes and contrasts and the challenge of composition and progresses to the tactile joy of mixing color on the palette. I’ve learned to understand objects as shapes and shadows, and I take pleasure in transforming photos, ideas, or three-dimensional objects into visual interpretations on canvas. Using a palette knife allows me the freedom of experimentation, moving the paint on the canvas, changing direction, scratching, blending, until I am satisfied with my creation. I mix my colors from a basic palette and work within this minimal palette to create a rich spectrum of colors. My art reflects the passion and personality of the people and places that I paint.
Writer’s Thoughts
The process of writing for me is not far removed from the process of painting. In both there is the question of composition. In writing, it’s taking words, thoughts, expressions, stories, and ideas, and moving the words on the page to form a cohesive, interesting story. Just as I take pleasure in transforming ideas into a visual interpretation, I also take pleasure in transforming ideas and thoughts into narrative.
Contact
Check out the “Greek Lessons” facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GREEK-Lessons-1046862285412703/ for updates and posts.
