Rita Winkler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Rita Winkler 1987 (age 36–37) |
| Alma mater | Drewry Secondary School |
| Known for | An artist with Down syndrome |
| Notable work | My Art, My World |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Leora Winkler, Rachel Winkler (sisters) - Mark Winkler, Lawrence Winkler, Sam Jundler (uncles) |
| Website | www |
Rita Winkler (born 1987) is a Canadian artist who is known for her paintings and artbook, My Art, My World. [1] [2]
Rita Winkler was born in 1987 with Down syndrome in Calgary, Alberta. [3] She attended Drewry Secondary School where she learnt sign language. [4] [5] Later, she went to DANI, an organization which is helping people with disabilities, where she participated in their stage productions and wrote their newsletters. [5] [4] At DANI, she discovered her passion for art. [4]
After the death of her father due to cancer in 2002, her family moved to Toronto, Ontario in 2003. [5] There, Rita began a life that included folk dancing, yoga, signing, and painting. [6] [5] As a folk dancer, she used to perform dance until COVID-19 pandemic at Prosserman Jewish Community Centre with her mother, Helen, who also taught a course called Move N'Mingle at the center. Nowadays, she performs a dance with her mother for Jake's Jam every Sunday. [5]
In the past few years, Rita flourished as an artist, painting how she sees life through her own eyes. [7] Alongside creating paintings, she also likes to paint birthday cakes and create birthday cards. [5]
During the pandemic, she took classes at L'Arche London and learnt watercolor painting. [4]
In 2021, a publishing company approached her family, and with the help of her mother, Helen Winkler, and her uncle, Mark Winkler, from New York, they co-authored an educational picture book entitled, My Art, My World. [8] [9] The book shows how she views her life through paintings and teaches inclusion. [10] [9] The book received positive reviews, including a star in Kirkus Reviews . [11]
Rita is also a member of the Ontario Folk Dance Association. [12]
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