Congratulations to  Michele Schramen, raffle ticket no. 234007!  To be informed of new artworks, artfairs, future events and raffles, please sign up for my Newsletter.

Welcome to the gallery. The original oil and acrylic paintings  encompass a variety of subjects; horses, dogs, cats, landscapes, florals, seascapes,  and more to come. A National Fine Arts Title Registration Certificate will be provided for each artwork for authenticity.

As an artist, I believe there are important elements I must capture in a custom animal portrait painting.
1. the unique bone structure
2. the shapes of the muscles
3. the texture and unique hues of the fur or hair
4. shape of eyes
5. capturing the light spectrum that bounces off surrounding surfaces unto the subject from every angle
6. correct color mixing to define depth and dimension of subject and surrounding areas

It is important to have good reference photos for an artist to work from.  Most of all, my goal is to create personal artwork that brings joy to the eye of the beholder.

Original oil/acrylic paintings or giclees on canvas can be purchased directly through the Artwork page.               I'm PayPal Verified .

For the discerning art collector, I highly recommend giclees/prints on canvas.  The beauty and brilliant colors of giclees on canvas are virtually indistinguishable from the original artwork and are not framed under glass. The high quality technology provides phenomenal clarity and lasts a lifetime.

I fell in love with drawing as a young child and produced art throughout my life. I began exploring my artistic abilities with oil and acrylic paints in my twenties and somehow a busy family life took me in other directions for a while.

Presently I am specializing and accepting commissions for horse, dog & cat portrait paintings. Please visit the Commissions page for details.  I begin with a drawing of the subject and tone the canvas with a uniform covering of a medium-tone color. Next, I paint thin layers of paint; a technique called, "glazing" used for achieving subtle transitions. The glazing technique requires multiple layers of paint to achieve a dimensional effect of enhanced realism. Most paintings require 2 to 6 months or more to complete.

To view artwork in person, please see the gallery page and I can arrange to have pieces you are interested in seeing at a gallery near you for your convenience.  Please visit again for new creations and have a great day!

Rita Cortesi

Any questions or comments, please contact me through the Contact the Artist Page.