Heather Leier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Calgary in Treaty 7 region in southern Alberta, Canada. Through her art practice, she employs research-creation approaches to examine embodied trauma and problematize shared assumptions of socially constructed life-phases and identities. This work ranges from the production of printed ephemera to life-size site-specific print installations all of which draw attention to negotiations of space and endurance with violence. Leier has exhibited her work widely both nationally and internationally including exhibitions in Spain, China, USA, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Poland, Egypt, Mexico, and Taiwan. Leier has curated a number of contemporary art projects and was the 2020 recipient of the University of Calgary Sustainability Teaching Award. When she isn’t teaching or working on various print projects, she is likely tending to her plant cohabitants. Leier is a white settler and her pronouns are she/her.
Recent Activity
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 Enacting Forms, Marianne van Silfhout Gallery, St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario.
2021 Cope/Endure/Survive, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques (IMPACT) 11 Conference
Control-Loss-Control, collaborative work with Meghan Pohlod, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques
(IMPACT) 11 Conference
Avert, public installation, University of Calgary, presented by Carleton University’s, Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, “Architectures of
Hiding” Symposium and University of Calgary’s Nickle Galleries. (publication)
Coping and Care, Queen’s University, Union Art Gallery Project Space. Kingston, Ontario.
2019 Coping Mechanisms, Society of Northern Alberta Print Artists, Edmonton, Alberta.
2018 Avert, public installation, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques (IMPACT) 10 Conference, Santander, Spain.
Without Giving Way, Lake Country Public Art Gallery, Lake Country, British Columbia.(catalogue)
Young Woman, Byward Gallery, Ottawa School of Art, Ottawa, Ontario.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Old Wives Tales, Southern Graphics Council International Conference, Providence, Rhode Island.
Reimagining Fire: The Future of Energy, Leighton Art Centre, Foothills Alberta.
The Energy Futures Portfolio Project. Harcourt House, Edmonton, Alberta.
2021-2023 ScatterTerrain (travelling exhibition): Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, 2023; Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pennsylvania, USA. 2023; HUB-Robeson Galleries, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. 2022; John and June Allcott Gallery, Hanes Art Centre, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill USA. 2021. (catalogue)
2023 Biennale internationale d'estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec. (catalogue)
Mini Print Cantabria Collection in Castro Urdiales, Castle Lighthouse of Castro Urdiales Hall, Castro Urdiales, Cantabria, Spain.
Room to Breathe: Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. Mid America Print Council Conference; Gallery 2, Washington State University, Pullman,
Washington; and Bend Gallery, (virtual exhibition space operated from Chicago, Illonois)
Found, Reclaimed and Reformed, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. Mid America Print Council Conference.
Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition XI (BIMPE). Visual Space Gallery, Vancouver BC.
Kolekcja Mini Print Cantabria w Lublinie, UMCS University Art Gallery - University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska, Lublin, Poland.
2021 Salt Spring Island National Art Prize, Mahon Hall, Ganges, Saltspring Island, British Columbia.(catalogue)
Collection Mini Print Cantabria, La Mer et les Phares à Bordeaux, Cervantes Institute, Bordeaux, France.
41st Mini Print International of Cadaqués, Taller Galeria Fort, Cadaqués, Spain. and Wingfield Barns, Suffolk, England; L’étangd’art, Bages, France.
2020 International Mini Print Biennale, Ottawa School of Art, Ottawa, Ontario.
Miniprint Kazanlak, Art Gallery Kazanlak, Kazanlak, Bulgaria.
2019 Print 2019, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
The 7th Guanlan-China International Print Biennial, China Printmaking Museum, Guanlan, Guangdong, China. (catalogue)
Durchsicht: Through-Seen, Basel Papiermühle, Basel, Switzerland
Selected Presentations
2024 Reorientations to Care, Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary, Alberta.
2023 Art in Crisis, On not knowing: How Artists Teach Conference, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland.
Printmaking Now, Christine Klassen Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.
Encounter with Artists Amy Sands and Heather Leier, SM Pro Art, Cantabria, Spain. (virtual
2022 Enacting Forms, Marianne van Silfhout Gallery, St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario.
Enacting Parts, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Technique (IMPACT) 12 Conference, Centre for Print Research,
University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. (virtual
Enacting Parts, The Visual Art & Design Forum (VADF), University of Alberta Department of Art and Design, Edmonton, Alberta. (virtual) \
2021 Moving Through: Coping and Joy, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques (IMPACT) 11 Conference, Hosted
by Hong Kong Open Printshop, Hong Kong. (virtual)
Coping and Care, exhibition talk and tour, Union Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 Enacting Forms, Marianne van Silfhout Gallery, St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario.
2021 Cope/Endure/Survive, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques (IMPACT) 11 Conference
Control-Loss-Control, collaborative work with Meghan Pohlod, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques
(IMPACT) 11 Conference
Avert, public installation, University of Calgary, presented by Carleton University’s, Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism, “Architectures of
Hiding” Symposium and University of Calgary’s Nickle Galleries. (publication)
Coping and Care, Queen’s University, Union Art Gallery Project Space. Kingston, Ontario.
2019 Coping Mechanisms, Society of Northern Alberta Print Artists, Edmonton, Alberta.
2018 Avert, public installation, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques (IMPACT) 10 Conference, Santander, Spain.
Without Giving Way, Lake Country Public Art Gallery, Lake Country, British Columbia.(catalogue)
Young Woman, Byward Gallery, Ottawa School of Art, Ottawa, Ontario.
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Old Wives Tales, Southern Graphics Council International Conference, Providence, Rhode Island.
Reimagining Fire: The Future of Energy, Leighton Art Centre, Foothills Alberta.
The Energy Futures Portfolio Project. Harcourt House, Edmonton, Alberta.
2021-2023 ScatterTerrain (travelling exhibition): Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, 2023; Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pennsylvania, USA. 2023; HUB-Robeson Galleries, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. 2022; John and June Allcott Gallery, Hanes Art Centre, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill USA. 2021. (catalogue)
2023 Biennale internationale d'estampe contemporaine de Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec. (catalogue)
Mini Print Cantabria Collection in Castro Urdiales, Castle Lighthouse of Castro Urdiales Hall, Castro Urdiales, Cantabria, Spain.
Room to Breathe: Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. Mid America Print Council Conference; Gallery 2, Washington State University, Pullman,
Washington; and Bend Gallery, (virtual exhibition space operated from Chicago, Illonois)
Found, Reclaimed and Reformed, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio. Mid America Print Council Conference.
Biennial International Miniature Print Exhibition XI (BIMPE). Visual Space Gallery, Vancouver BC.
Kolekcja Mini Print Cantabria w Lublinie, UMCS University Art Gallery - University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska, Lublin, Poland.
2021 Salt Spring Island National Art Prize, Mahon Hall, Ganges, Saltspring Island, British Columbia.(catalogue)
Collection Mini Print Cantabria, La Mer et les Phares à Bordeaux, Cervantes Institute, Bordeaux, France.
41st Mini Print International of Cadaqués, Taller Galeria Fort, Cadaqués, Spain. and Wingfield Barns, Suffolk, England; L’étangd’art, Bages, France.
2020 International Mini Print Biennale, Ottawa School of Art, Ottawa, Ontario.
Miniprint Kazanlak, Art Gallery Kazanlak, Kazanlak, Bulgaria.
2019 Print 2019, John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, Ontario.
The 7th Guanlan-China International Print Biennial, China Printmaking Museum, Guanlan, Guangdong, China. (catalogue)
Durchsicht: Through-Seen, Basel Papiermühle, Basel, Switzerland
Selected Presentations
2024 Reorientations to Care, Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary, Alberta.
2023 Art in Crisis, On not knowing: How Artists Teach Conference, Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow, Scotland.
Printmaking Now, Christine Klassen Gallery, Calgary, Alberta.
Encounter with Artists Amy Sands and Heather Leier, SM Pro Art, Cantabria, Spain. (virtual
2022 Enacting Forms, Marianne van Silfhout Gallery, St. Lawrence College, Brockville, Ontario.
Enacting Parts, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Technique (IMPACT) 12 Conference, Centre for Print Research,
University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. (virtual
Enacting Parts, The Visual Art & Design Forum (VADF), University of Alberta Department of Art and Design, Edmonton, Alberta. (virtual) \
2021 Moving Through: Coping and Joy, International Multi-disciplinary Printmaking, Artists, Concepts and Techniques (IMPACT) 11 Conference, Hosted
by Hong Kong Open Printshop, Hong Kong. (virtual)
Coping and Care, exhibition talk and tour, Union Gallery, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.
Contact Me
Please contact me about collaborative projects, purchase requests, or with MFA supervision inquiries.
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Leier is situated on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Niitsitapi (including the Siksika, Kainai and Piikani First Nations), the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Good Stoney First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.