HEATHER
HAYNES
From: Ontario, Canada
Based in: Gananoque, Ontario, CA
Main Artistic Themes: Street Art, Human Rights
Web: heatherhaynes.com
Heather Haynes is a painter who also works in mixed media photography.
Her practice is currently focused on meaningful work, with a definite nod to street art while maintaining her advocacy for human rights.
​
Haynes studied Visual Arts at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Heather Haynes has been painting professionally since 1995. Heather is a painter who also works in mixed media photography. She studied visual arts from 1989-1993 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Heather began her career representing herself for 10 years, during which time she and her husband started a family. In 2005 she began showing in Quebec City with Gallery Beauchamp and later that year began a professional affiliation with Progressive Fine Arts out of Toronto, which created step change in demand for her work. This relationship led to representation in galleries across Canada, USA and UK. Heather’s husband then left his job to focus on supporting Heather’s booming career and to take a lead role in the daily care of their young boys.
​
In 2010, Heather and her family stepped back from the fast pace of her art career and began to travel internationally. There were numerous visits to Africa, with the focus being on Tanzania and the DR Congo. Seeing opportunities where she could help local citizens, Heather co-founded a boys and girls club in Moshi, Tanzania and raised funds to build an orphanage for 80 children in the city of Goma, Eastern DR Congo.
​
In 2012, the couple opened Heather Haynes Gallery in Kingston, Ontario (now located in Gananoque, Ontario since 2016). Owning and operating their own gallery allowed a greater variety of available works and allowed Heather the opportunity to expand on her creative interests. This flexibility and personal access to her collectors grew the couples interests into forming the non profit The Art of Courage. Through this avenue they tour the infamous 'Wall of Courage’ consisting of 80 paintings of 80 orphaned children from DR Congo. This monumental installation piece (40’ x12’) raises funds and awareness for the orphans and widows of the DRCongo.
​
In March, 2020 Heather exhibited new, large works at The Artist Project in Toronto, Ontario gaining an overwhelming response and attracting a number of new collectors. More recently Heather received a formal invitation to exhibit "Wall of Courage" at the United Talent Agency’s prestigious UTA Artists Space, in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. The work will anchor the human element of this extremely poignant group exhibition, entitled “Emergency on Planet Earth”.
​
Currently, at the confluence of her inner world and the uncertainties of our outer world, Heather is creating her most bold, confident and meaningful work, with a definite nod to street art while maintaining her advocacy for human rights.
Selected Exhibitions
