| Rita
Asfour (1933 - )
"My Armenian father was an inventor. Thanks to him, my natural
curiosity as a child was greatly encouraged.
During the troubled times of World-War-1, he was forced to
escape his birthplace near the Russian-Turkish border. The
only escape route open to him was down the southern coast
of the Mediterranean Sea. His journey ended in Cairo, where
I was born.
My sojourns were of a much more pleasant nature. I traveled
to Italy, Germany, France, Tahiti, and Mexico, before traveling
to many cities in the US and finally settling down in Malibu,
where I have lived since 1982.
I started my professional career as a magazine and book cover
illustrator. The next big assignment was as a portrait artist
at Universal Studios. Encouraged by the many sales that followed,
I opened my own art gallery in Beverly Hills in 1970. There,
I sold my own paintings as well as those of other artists,
and gave private art lessons to a few celebrities. When my
only daughter Amber was born, I felt compelled to stay home
to take care of her. I gradually went back to painting as
Amber grew up and became more independent.
Education
From Kindergarten through high school, I went to the French
school Le Lycee Francee. That was followed by six years
of strict Italian tutoring at The Leonardo Da Vinci Italian
Academy Of Arts, from which I graduated with a BA in Fine
Arts. My Italian instructors taught me how to paint alla
prima.
Immediately after immigrating to the US, I enlisted at The
Chouinard Art Institute. Shortly after, I took private lessons
from Sam Markitante, an 80-year old French artist who taught
the techniques he learned in the Paris studio that he rented
after the death of Renoir.
Collectors
I sold hundreds of paintings in Canada, Japan, Korea, Singapore,
Europe, and all over the United States. Amongst my distinguished
collectors are Ella Fitzgerald, Donna Reed, Tricia Nixon,
Congressman Alphonso Bell, and publisher Otis Chandler."
Exhibits
House of Hartford Gallery, Beverly Hills
Wally Findlay Galleries, Beverly Hills
Gallery Camille, Beverly Hills,
W. J. Sloan, Beverly Hills
Wentworth Galleries, Nationwide
Atlas Galleries, Chicago
Lumina Galleries, Soho, New York
Vail Fine Art, Colorado
Carol Schwartz Galleries, Philadelphia
Artexpo New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco
Modern Art Gallery – Japan
Allan Art, Singapore
Charities/Donations
I donated to many charities including; The International Leukemia
Foundation, The City of Hope, The Ballet School by the Sea
in Malibu, The Boys & Girls Clubs Of America, The Thalians,
the Washington DC Airport Authorities, and The Los Angeles
County Sheriff.
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