in the late 1950s, having internalized the ideas of the plasticiens, she abandoned the confines of geometric works and began studying the ideas of zen and confucius; these ideas began to translate into her paintings characterized by lines and strokes in black and white. she was also struck by the work of the abstract expressionists in new york and in particular, impressed by the work of franz kline. many of these elements and themes would be revisited in the works that soon followed, increasing in gestural quality and characterized with heavy impasto with a palette knife or spatula. her production began to increase and rita began to come into her own, winning first prize in the concours de la jeune peinture in 1959 and the prix rodolphe-de-repentigny in 1960. this prize (worth $300) and the additional sales that followed enabled rita to quit her job and paint full-time – it also allowed her to buy more paint and canvas than she dreamed possible.