Heather McAllister - Oil painting - Getting Ready

Heather McAllister - Oil painting - Getting Ready

Oil 12 x 12

Biography Heather McAllister - Qualicum Beach, BC

“The Arts are fundamental resources through which the world is viewed, meaning is
created, and the mind developed.” Elliot Eisner

Preceding retirement in 2013, Heather McAllister worked for 35 years as teacher,
school principal, educational researcher, and teacher educator. Her professional
experience always integrated advocacy for the arts and most often took place in, or
referenced, multi-cultural and inner city environments. She has written extensively and published on issues of Care, Leadership, and Ethics in Education. She’s presented her research at international conferences in the US, Caribbean, and Canada. As a life-long champion for the arts, McAllister holds the fundamental belief that creative opportunities provided through The Arts are indeed critical and essential to healthy and powerful human development.

McAllister is currently immersed full time in her own studio art practice in Qualicum
Beach British Columbia, Canada. At present, she works in a wide range of mediums
that includes mixed media, cold wax and oil, oil pigment sticks, dry pigments, encaustic and oil, plus textiles.

In 2018, McAllister completed a three year surface design and textile art program with renowned textile artist Jane Dunnewold in San Antonio Texas. She has also studied extensively with other highly regarded and successful textile artists including
Dunnewold, Dorothy Caldwell, Sue Benner, Carol Soderland, Tillike Schwartz and
Claire Benn. Her works have been shown in major shows in San Antonio, Houston, and Austin Texas. Her work is abstract and expressive. McAllister has a strong interest in utilizing color, line, texture, and imagery to explore and reveal layers of meanings- with metaphor and symbol- to express enigmatic thoughts and feelings associated with her personal experiences.