"I was academically trained at the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. I also took... specialty courses in Brazilian art history at the National Museum of Fine Arts and art education and culture – creativity in education – at the Art school of Brazil, both in Rio de Janeiro. I even took a course in art therapy at the Federal Fluminense University.

"In order to talk about my work, I prefer the words of Heris Victoria Guimaraes, a professor of painting at the School of Fine Arts of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro:

'The paintings of Rita Manhaes possess a language of strong nature, exciting and extremely personal. With the spirit of Matisse, she makes colors jump and combines them in a completely harmonious form. With honed technique she unifies intense colors, which emerge through transparencies, enveloping the viewer's eyes and inviting them to enter the work…'"

Manhaes has participated in countless exhibitions in Rio de Janeiro for over 25 years.