Watercolor Artist Rita Winkler’s Website, "My Name is Rita," Wins Top DEI Honors in 30th Annual Communicator Awards

“My Name is Rita,” which showcases the work of Rita Winkler, an artist born with Down syndrome, took top DEI honors in the 30th Annual Communicator Awards.

BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, May 23, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- “My Name is Rita,” a colorful, upbeat website showcasing the works of Toronto-based watercolor artist Rita Winkler has taken top honors for diversity, equity and inclusion in the 30th Annual Communicator Awards, an international program presented by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA). The website earned an Award for Excellence from the organization.

Thirty-six-year-old Rita Winkler was born with Down syndrome, but has never let the diagnosis hold her back from expressing herself in an impassioned, straightforward way. She has a passion for art, in recent years particularly focusing on work with watercolors. To date she has produced more than 300 works, highlighting subjects ranging from wildlife and domestic pets to plants and flowers to vibrant landscapes to favorite foods to holiday themes to both specific and general individuals including dancers, friends, and people in her everyday life. The website curates these works into various categories, identifies Rita’s favorite pieces, and includes a shop where online visitors can purchase original works as well as posters, prints, digital downloads and merchandise such as mugs, bags, greeting cards, blankets, mousepads and calendars, all featuring Rita’s work.

Through her website, Rita redefines artistic boundaries and invites viewers into a world where diversity is celebrated, one in which her paintings, rich in color and emotion, challenge and redefine conventional artistic perceptions. Art is an effective, fulfilling way for Rita to express the unique way she sees the world. “My Name is Rita” is a narrative of resilience and the splendor of life beyond societal norms. In addition to the online shop, sections of the website include:
• “My Book,” which introduces visitors to “My Art, My World,” a colorful hard-bound volume featuring a brief but poignant dialog in which Rita relates parts of her life to accompanying art (a portion of the proceeds from the sale of which go to charity);
• “My World,” which offers an intimate glimpse into Rita’s life, deepening understanding and cultivating empathy among its audience;
• “My Friends,” in which Rita emphasizes the value of community in fostering inclusivity and celebrates the artistic contributions of her peers;
• “My Thoughts,” which provides a window into how Rita reasons her way through certain situations and relationships, and how these deliberations become manifest in her art;
• “My Mom,” which acquaints visitors with the woman who raised and continues to help Rita in her daily routine and the pursuit of her passions, but on a deeper level is a primer offering educators and caregivers insights and techniques to nurture artistic talent; and
• “My Wacky Uncle Mark,” a section in which Mark Winkler, the man who stepped in to support Rita when her father, Mark’s brother, died from cancer early in Rita’s life, addresses gallery owners and art collectors about opportunities to exhibit or acquire Rita’s work.
“My Name is Rita” is a vibrant testament to the power of inclusive art. Rita Winkler’s work reveals that creativity is boundless and colorfully illustrates how art can be a unifying force in celebrating diversity. The website, in its harmonious blend of individuality and community, makes an outstanding contribution to promoting diversity and inclusion, according to the Communicator Awards organizers.

“This is a huge achievement for you and your team,” wrote Lauren Angeloni, Managing Director of the AIVA, in notifying Winkler of the honor. “You showed the world communication is timeless – we are truly thrilled to welcome you to a circle of winners decades in the making.”

Painting is not the only art form in which Rita engages, however. She also regularly participates in yoga and folk-dance classes and enjoys acting. Later this month, in fact, she will be portraying Nemo in a Developing and Nurturing Independence (DANI) production of “Finding Nemo” presented at the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

“I’m lucky that my days are so much fun,” Rita says in “My Art, My World.” “Yoga, dancing, sign language, the coffee shop, my wacky Uncle Mark, my wonderful mom, even the pesky telemarketers. But most of all, I love making my art.”

For more information, visit https://www.ritawinkler.art/.

About Rita Winkler
Born in Calgary, Alberta, 36-year-old Canadian watercolor artist Rita Winkler currently lives in Toronto with her mother, Helen. Despite being diagnosed with Down syndrome, Rita has redefined artistic boundaries throughout her life through her actions, her observations and her art. Her book, “My Art My World,” offers readers a light-hearted but illuminating look into Rita’s world – a place full of joy and color. A website showcasing the book as well as her art, “My Name is Rita,” similarly provides a narrative of resilience and the splendor of life beyond societal norms. In addition to producing works of art, Rita engages regularly in yoga, dance and theatre, works in the kitchen at Common Ground Cooperative, a social enterprise, and attends the Developing and Nurturing Independence (DANI) day program in Toronto. In her spare time, she also enjoys social media, listening to music, watching movies, writing newsletter articles, and being with friends and family. For more information, please visit www.ritawinkler.art/.

About The Communicator Awards
The Communicator Awards is sanctioned and reviewed by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA), an invitation-only group consisting of top-tier professionals from acclaimed media, communications, advertising, creative and marketing firms. AIVA members include executives from organizations like Amazon, SPCSHP (formerly Big Spaceship), Chelsea Pictures, Condé Nast, Critical Mass, Disney, ESPN, GE Digital, IBM, The Nation of Artists, Nextdoor, Spotify, Time, Inc., The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones, and Wired. To learn more, please visit www.communicatorawards.com.
#

Greg Pitkoff
GRiP Communications LLC
+1 7186146677
email us here

Rita Winkler: Painting a World of Difference