Colin McAllister is a contemporary painter based in Berkeley, California. Working primarily with acrylic and oil stick on canvas or paper, McAllister is best known for creating images drawn from life that imagine a world gradually overrun by nature, at times suggesting the absence of human presence or intervention.

McAllister’s practice centers on observational imagery that is occasionally figurative, combining direct references to lived environments with imagined natural transformations. His works are characterized by layered surfaces, expressive mark-making, and atmospheric compositions that explore the relationship between the built environment and organic growth. Through paintings that blur the boundaries between representation and invention, he reflects on themes of abandonment, regeneration, and the persistence of nature beyond human control.

Colin McAllister has exhibited at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, KALA Art Institute, GoodMother Studio, and other Bay Area Galleries. He also participated in a public banner installation in Berkeley, California.

Photo taken by Jam