My Account

I am a Canadian photographer and artist. My heritage is Scottish; my parents were from Aberdeen, Scotland. My name, “Heather”, is also the name of a flowering shrub that is found all over the highlands of Scotland…I guess it’s no wonder that I love flowers!

The colours of the natural world captured my imagination and inspired me from a very young age. My first memories are of flowers. We lived in Edinburgh, Scotland when I was a young child. Princes Street Gardens are full of flowers from early spring through fall and there is a lovely flower clock (pictured below) at one end, with a cuckoo that comes out on the hour. I remember begging my mother to stay until it came out! 

Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, Scotland

Throughout my life, I have been fortunate to live near places that offer easy access to beautiful gardens or the splendour of wild places. I immigrated to Alberta, Canada at age six with my parents. I have lived on the prairies, in the parkland, and in the boreal forest, and have found beauty in them all. I have also spent a lot of time in the mountains, helping my partner, David, with his work, which involves hiking to some lovely locations. 

I trained as a biologist and spent two very interesting years in Nigeria, Africa, teaching with the Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO). That was followed by a Masters degree in agology and a wonderful fulfilling career as a land manager, reclamation specialist and planner. I had many opportunities to be creative and try new ideas during these years. I was, and still am, dedicated to promoting conservation and restoration of natural landscapes.

I am also privileged to have a lovely family with four children; and three step-children with my partner, David, as well as three grandchildren. My children are now grown and successfully launched on their chosen paths. Family life is still busy but there is space for new pursuits now that I am retired. I have enjoyed photography along the way but did not have much opportunity or time to explore making art, other than a little dabbling. However, I knew that I loved creating art because of a few experiences where I enjoyed sharing the process with a few like-minded people. Subconsciously, I think my decision about my retirement path was made some time ago.

I currently live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In the summer months, I love spending time in the nearby mountains and foothills, taking photos of the incredible vistas and gorgeous wildflowers. In the snowy winter months, I can be found in my studio, blissfully absorbed in transforming that loveliness into paintings. I hope to leave a legacy for my children and friends, and pass on my love for natural spaces to those who connect with my photography and eventually, my art. I hope to inspire them to connect with like-minded individuals and organizations to conserve and restore natural spaces.

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