Background
Rita Jean was born on February 25, 1946 in Flint, Michigan, United States. Daughter of Fred and Lillian Jeannette (Orendorff) Dibert.
Rita Jean was born on February 25, 1946 in Flint, Michigan, United States. Daughter of Fred and Lillian Jeannette (Orendorff) Dibert.
Rita studied at the University of California in California, United States. Also, she was a student of the El Camino College in Torrance, California, United States at the faculty of ceramics and printmaking. In 1966 she studied at Flint Community Junior College in Flint, Michigan, United States at the faculty of ceramics. In three years she studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. She became a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the area of painting and printmaking.
In 1994 she was a student of the State University of New York in Rochester, New York, United States. She became a Master of Fine Arts in the area of the photo and electronic media. In 1969 she studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. She became a Master of Fine Arts in photo applications to print and painting.
From 1970 to 1997 Rita worked as a gallery artist of the Xochipilli Gallery in Birmingham, Michigan, United States. In 1972 she was a head of fine art photography at the Various Universities in New Zealand, United States. She worked there until 2015. In 1972 she was a lecturer of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. She worked there until 1974. From 1974 to 1979 Rita was an assistant professor of art at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, United States. In this year she became an assistant professor, artist in residence of Pomona College in Claremont, California, United States. She worked there until 1986.
From 1983 to 1990 she worked as a curator of numerous photography exhibitions. In 1987 she worked at McComb Community College in Detroit, Michigan, United States and at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, United States. In a year she worked in the center for creative studies in Detroit, Michigan, United States. In 1988 Rita worked at California State University in San Bernardino, California, United States.
From 1989 to 1990 she was a visiting associate professor of art at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, United States. In 1990 Rita worked at Seian College in Kyoto, Japan and Pomona College in Claremont, California, United States. From 1992 to 1993 she was a Visiting adjunct professor of art at the State University of New York in Brockport, New York, United States. In 1993 Rira became a lecturer at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. In 1994 she was a visiting artist in the Light Factory in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. From 1995 to 2015 she was a coordinator of photography of the Quay School of Art in Whanganui, New Zealand.
Rita has many prizes from Mohawk-Hudson Regional State University of New York Albany, 1979, New Photographics Central Washington University, 1980. She is a prize winner of Alternatives 81 in Athens, Ohio, United States, 1981, Central Pennsylvania Festival of Arts, 1983, Southern California Photography Exhibition, Saddleback College, 1983, Moore College Art, Philadelphia, 1983, Ohio University Athens, 1983, Magic Silver Show, Murray, Kentucky, 1983, CADDY award, 1989, FLASH award Detroit Monthly, 1989. Alvin Spector Artist's grantee, 1984, Faculty Research grantee Pomona College, 1980-1986, Polaroid Corporation Materials grantee, 1983-1992, New York State Council on Arts Decentralization grantee, 1990.Two Residencies at New Zealand Pacific Studio, Mt Bruce. New Zealand Council on the Arts Community Grant for Installation at Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui, New Zealand, 2002. New Zealand Council on the Arts Community Grant for the exhibition: portraits of 39 women, displayed at Art at the Centre, Whanganui, New Zealand.
One person painting and photo shows include Ball State University Museum, 1986, Ann Arbor Art Association Galleries in Michigan, United States 1989, University of Michigan Alumni Invitational, 1989, 1994, Space Gallery of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, 1990, Artist Trait Gallery, Claremont, California, 1990, 1991, 1992, Museum Hartwick College, Oneonta, New York, 1991, Upper Catskill Council Arts, Oneonta, 1991, Mercer Gallery, Rochester, New York, 1994, Rowe Gallery University North Carolina, Charlotte, 1994, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, 1994, Gallery 53, Cooperstown, New York, Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri, 1988, Xochipilli Gallery, 1989, Artist Trait Gallery, 1990. Group exhibitions PhotoSpiva, Joplin, Missouri, 1991, Cortland Arts Council in New York, 1992, Arnot Museum, Ithaca, New York, 1992, 1993, University of Michigan, 1994. Represented in permanent collections Polaroid Corporation, J. Walter Thompson Agency, California Museum of Photography, Riverside, Hyatt Hotel Chain, Upjohn Corporation, Radisson Hotel Chain, Detroit Institute Art, Haworth Furniture, Toledo Museum Art, Hewlett Packard, Edith B. Rowe Arts Gallery.
