Marita Dingus

Marita Dingus was born and raised in the greater Seattle area. She attended parochial schools where the nuns encouraged her talents, using mimeographed copies of her drawings as images for her classmates to color in 5th grade. During high school, her brother-in-law questioned why she never drew Black people, awakening her self-consciousness.

Marita attended Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and studied abroad in Rome. After earning her BFA, she enrolled in a study abroad program in Morocco. This first-hand exposure to African art, changed her focus from painting to sculpture at San Jose State, where she earned her MFA. She later completed Seattle Art Museum’s African Art training program.

Whenever she can, Marita visits the Caribbean, Africa, and South America to harvest inspiration and ideas that can be incorporated into her art. She continues to maintain her childhood home in Auburn where she raises goats, chickens, and two cats.