Rita Daniel  Rita was born in Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. Upon finishing school, she entered Royal Worcester Porcelain Works, where in teh Design Department, she was under the tutelage and mentoring of Professor Robert Baker. In 1971 she joined the English porcelain studio of the American Company Edward Marshall Boehm where she was appointed Principal Painter. In 1977 she was commissioned by Royal Doulton to paint a series of floral still life plaques which hung in the Directors dinning room until they were sold at the 'Masterpieces of Minton" sale by Sotheby's in 1999 when each outstripped its estimate by at least 100%. Rita and family emigrated to Kyneton, Australia in 1983 and founded the studio "Kyneton Fine China & Wattle Ceramics" where Rita designed and sculptured a large range of artworks which sold in many Australian and Overseas Galleries - a speciality being hancrafted bone china floral collectors items. In recent years Rita has transffered her creativity to oil on canvas. Her intricate still life and floral paintings are inspired by the craftsmanship and artistry of the 17th Century European painters. The techniques she employs to create vibrant paintings, almost three dimensional, with light and shadow, are similar to those used by the Old Masters. Her compositions are designed using live blooms and fresh fruit, underpainted on primed canvas or board in a monochrome palette to establish the highlights and deep shadows. The oil paint is applied in layers and key areas glazed many times with transparent coats of pigment to give depth, luminosity and intensity.  Small details are added - dewdrops, caterpillars, butterflies, seedheads, all symbols of transience and on some paintings a glimpse of a distant view or other world is indicated. The viewers eye can travel round the work with much to discover and contemplate.