Meg O’Hara 

(Canada)

Meg O'Hara is a Canadian landscape painter. Her work is based on ocean conservation in the polar regions.

In 2022 she was an Artist-in-Residence on the Polar Prince icebreaker ship on the Atlantic Ocean during an Ocean Conservation Expedition with the SOI Foundation. In December of 2022, she was one of ten Canadians chosen for a delegation to Antarctica looking at Canada's involvement in the Antarctic Treaty System and the impact of climate change on the region. In 2023 she was the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Canadian Ice Core Lab with glaciologist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Alison Criscitiello.

She was a Featured Artist for Ocean Week Canada in 2023. As part of this project, her painting Antarctica’s Frozen Labyrinth was included in the James Cameron exhibit PRESSURE at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in conjunction with National Geographic, Rolex, Parks Canada and the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition.

In 2021, Meg was awarded the BC Business 30 Under 30 award, and went on to win the Woman of the Year award in 2023. Also in 2023 she won her first Canada Council of the Arts grant to participate in the Toronto Artist Project where she debuted her series on Antarctica. In 2023 she also won the Protect Our Winters Empowerment Grant and Creative Alliance Grant. She is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a Member International at The Explorers Club, and a Creative Ambassador for Protect Our Winters. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Theory from the University of British Columbia.

Her mission is to inspire others to seek adventure in nature, and reflect on their role in preserving it.

Education

2015: Graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Theory.

Exhibitions

2023: Solo show titles “Antarctica’s Fragile Ice” at Capsul Studio in Toronto, Ontario

2023: Painting of Antarctica’s Frozen Labyrinth included in the James Cameron PRESSURE exhibit at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in conjunction with National Geographic, Rolex, and Parks Canada

2023: Featured Artist for Ocean Week Canada

2023: Group show at the Artist Project Toronto

2023: Solo show titled "Antarctica" at Studio Maesa in North Vancouver

2022: Solo show titled "Sea-to-Sky" at the Arc'teryx store in Whistler, BC in participation with Protect Our Winters Canada.

2022: Whistler Art's Council's exhibit Art on the Lake in Whistler, BC

2022: Group show "White Cube" at BLAH Gallery in West Vancouver, BC

2021: Joined the artist roster for Creative Contemporary West

2021: Solo show at Elizabeth Homes Gallery showroom in Boston, MA

2020: Group show during State of the Art during the World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, BC.

2020 Group juried show at the Ojibway Club Art Show in Pointe-au-Baril, four paintings on display

2019 Group juried show at the Ojibway Club Art Show in Pointe-au-Baril, four paintings on display

2018: Solo Art show in at the cSPACE in Calgary, AB

2016: Gallery Associate for State of the Art during the World Ski and Snowboard Festival. State of the Art is one of Canada's largest art shows and showcases over fifty artists chosen through juried submission.

2015: Painting "Flying Over Grouse Mountain" was displayed at the Federation Art Gallery in Vancouver

2015: Painting titled "Moonrise over Grouse Mountain" was selected from a jury to be part of the West End Arts Pop-Up Gallery

2014: Painting "Vancouver Cityscape" (36"x36", acrylic) was accepted into the juried exhibit "Scenes of Western Canada" at the Federation Art Gallery in Vancouver and was displayed for three weeks in October 2014. The painting was also nominated in the Emerging Arts category.

2014: Collaborated with artist Tonel for Germany's second biggest art show, the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art. The installation titled "Commerce" (2014) was on display between May 29th and August 3rd, 2014. Berlin, Germany

2014: "Torso" on display at the Vagasquerade Art Exhibit at the UBC AMS Art Gallery on February 1st, 2014. Vancouver, BC.

2014: Winner of the CARFAC travel bursary to the National Art, Activism and Adaptation Conference in Toronto, September 2014.

2014: Winner of the CARFAC award to cover all fees for the National Art, Activism and Adaptation Conference in Toronto.

2013: Visiting artist in the eleven week "Art Around Us" show at the Art Institute of Vancouver. Both the painting "Moonrise Over Whistler" and photograph "Oregon Orchard" were on display from October 21st to December 30th. Vancouver, British Columbia.

2013: Painting "Bikes and Babes" (36"x48") shown at the juried Vagasquerade Art Show at Access Gallery (February 2nd to 4th, 2013). Vancouver, BC

Residencies and Expeditions

2023: Artist-in-Residence at the Canadian Ice Core Lab at the University of Alberta with National Geographic Explorer and glaciologist Dr. Alison Criscitiello

2022: Antarctica Delegation for Canada's involvement in the Antarctic Treaty with the SOI Foundation. The expedition included Ottawa to visit Parliament, Buenos Aires to visit the Secretary of the Antarctic Treaty, and ten day sail to South Shethland Island and the Antarctic Peninsula.

2022: Artist-in-Residence on the Ocean Conservation Expedition with the SOI Foundation, Atlantic Ocean

2020: Artist in Residence at Mica Heliskiing Lodge.

Fellowships and Affiliations

Fellow at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society

Member International at The Explorers Club in New York City

Creative Ambassador for Protect Our Winters

Selected Permanent Collections

Daniels Corporation

Mica Heliskiing Lodge

Sunshine Village Ski Resort

Caledon Ski Club

Red Mountain Resort

Philanthropy

Ongoing: SOI Foundation alumni

Ongoing: Creative Ambassador for Protect Our Winters Canada

Ongoing: Creative Ambassador for Protect Our Winters USA

Ongoing: Volunteering with Alumni UBC at the University of British Columbia

2023: Painting donated to the Art Auction for Old Growth

2023: Two paintings donated to the SOI Foundation

2022: Donated two paintings from my Antarctica Delegation to the SOI Foundation

2022: University of British Columbia Alumni: Alumni interview for SOCI 102

2021: University of British Columbia Alumni: Panelist for the Art of Entrepreneurship Event

2022: Print of "Ski Chalet" donated to Vancouver International Film Festival

2020: Painting “Whistler Chalet” donated to Protect Our Winters Canada.

2019: Painting "Blanket Glacier Chalet" donated to the CAPOW Female EmPowderment Fund to support women in the backcountry

2017: Donated work "Flying Over Grouse Mountain" was sold at the Trips for Kids fundraiser.

Grants and Awards

2023: Winner of the Protect Our Winters Empowerment grant

2023: Winner of the Protect Our Winters Creative Alliance grant

2023: Winner of the Canadian Art Council’s Arts Across Canada grant

2023: BCBusiness Women of the Year Award - Rising Star

2021: BCBusiness Top 30 Under 30 for being the "Go-To Artist in the North American Ski Industry"

MEDIA FEATURES

BC Business Top 30 Under 30 award

Jillian Harris Q&A about Antarctica as a blog

Featured Artist for Ocean Week Canada blog

Protect Our Winters interview about Antarctica and Ocean Week Canada, blog

James Cameron PRESSURE at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society featuring Meg’s painting in the exhibit

The Pique Magazine on Antarctica Delegation article

BC Business Women of the Year, Rising Star award

Protect Our Winters profile

35 BC Leaders to Inspire You on International Women’s Day article

The Pique Magazine on 30 Under 30 award article

University of British Columbia alumni profile

Geoff Green Antarctica Delegation recap blog

Daily Hive Vancouver article

SOI Foundation Antarctica Delegation blog

Protect Our Winters Canada Creative Ambassador feature

Jillian Harris Earth Day collaboration

Mind Your Biz Podcast interview

Out of Bounds Podcast interview

Big Stick Energy Podcast interview

Whistler FM Radio interview

Freedom Lifestyle Podcast interview

Castle Mountain Resort blog

BUFF x Protect Our Winters collaboration

Callaway Henderson Magazine article

Entrepreneur Magazine with Jason Fiefer article

VIDEO FEATURES

SOI Foundation Antarctica Delegation recap video

Ocean Conservation Expedition Artist-in-Residence with the SOI Foundation 2022 video

Sunshine Village Ski Resort in Banff National Park video

MSNBC with Jason Fiefer video