I was born in 1947 near the eastern Ontario town of Domville and my primary and secondary education was completed in the Bancroft, Ontario region. In 1967 I began studies at the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Toronto and graduated in 1971 from the Communications and Design course, with principal interest in painting and photography.

Over the following decades, I worked at various advertising and promotion jobs, in the Toronto area, in full and part-time positions–for twenty years as promotions manager in the Corporate Marketing Department of Bank of Montreal.

Throughout the years, I maintained a parallel career as a fine artist, showing in dozens of solo and group exhibitions. As well, I have self-published two books of poetry combined with black and white photography, an illustrated children’s book on the theme of meditation and, most recently (2012), a book in which I document the experience of a five-day meditation retreat in prose, poetry, photography and paintings and drawings titled, Retreat at Worst Horse.
Between 2001 and 2004 I trained at the Transpersonal Therapy Centre in Toronto. And since May of 2007, I have been working full-time as a fine artist and psychotherapist from my home in Ajax, Ontario. In 2008, I began writing a monthly column for my local newspaper, Ajax / Pickering News Advertiser, in which I profile local artists. I also teach art on a volunteer basis at the Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences in Whitby, Ontario (and was named volunteer of the year for 2010) and I am a volunteer member of the curatorial panel for the Art Gallery at Ontario Shores. I participate, on a regular basis in the Durham Region artist-in-the-school ArtsSmarts program in local public and high schools; and teach art to three levels of children in the City of Pickering community recreation program. And I also act as a juror--solo and in jury panels--for various arts groups on an ongoing basis.

Artist’s Statement

My paintings and drawings are primarily done in a high realist style using my own photography as reference. I also shoot photographs and exhibit them on their own fine art merits.  Over the four decades of my career, I have put together solo shows on specific themes, i.e.: several suites of paintings of Lake Ontario; an exhibition of Polaroid photos titled, Parallels//Polarities; a show called The Joy of Falling, a set of psychologically-challenging paintings and drawings of leaping and falling child figures; a show of oil paintings based on images from a specific Family Reunion; and Moments of Awakening, an exhibition with canvases that explored my spiritual quest as a Buddhist. My most recently completed painting series is My Landscapes, a return to my muse, the countryside around rural Bancroft, Ontario, where I grew up, and images from the environs of Ajax, Ontario where I presently reside. And I am presently working on a series of allegorical paintings I’m calling Messages Sublimes, realistic images with phrases lettered subtly into them; plus a series of acrylic and mixed media on paper abstract paintings called Classical Abstracts.

Solo Exhibitions

2015: Lush Gravitas (First Blush), The Art Gallery, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby, Ontario

2014: THE REAL:THE ABSTRACT:THE FUSION, Ben Navaae Gallery, Toronto

- Classical Abstracts, Art Gallery of Bancroft, Bancroft, Ontario

- THE REAL:THE ABSTRACT:THE FUSION, Cultural Expressions Gallery, Ajax

- Allan O'Marra: FACES, Station Gallery, Whitby

2013: The Last 4 Years—A Retrospective of 48 Works by Allan O’Marra, McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

2012: Recent Work, The Art Gallery, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby, Ontario

2010: - My Landscapes, Ajax Town Hall, Ajax, Ontario

- Recent Work, Dentistry on Liverpool Complex, Pickering, Ontario

2009: Recent Work, Ontario Power Generation Information Centre Gallery, Pickering, Ontario

2008: Allan O’Marra’s Show of Shows (works from three recent shows, plus My Landscapes), McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

2007: Moments of Awakening, Gallery 888, Toronto

2006: Family Reunion, Gallery 888, Toronto

2003: The Joy of Falling, Neilson Creative Centre, Toronto

1997: Introspective -- Self-portraits, 1969 - 1997, Algonquin Art Gallery, Bancroft

- Introspective -- Self-portraits, 1969 - 1997, studio show, Pickering, Ontario

1993: Studio show, Scarborough, Ontario

1991: Parallels//Polarities (photography), Q Club, Toronto

1990: Studio show, Toronto

1988: Studio show, Toronto

1985: Ontario Narrative plus Lake Ontario Suite IV, Leedhams, Toronto

1984: Paint and Pencil, Cornwall Regional Art Gallery, Cornwall, Ontario

- Drawings and Paintings, Green Door Gallery, Toronto

1983: Cross Section, Greenwood Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario

- Recent Figurative Work plus Lake Ontario Suite III, David Jean Gallery, Toronto

- Cross Section, Clearwater Gallery, Hamilton, Ontario

- Faces (portraits), Algonquin Art Gallery, Bancroft, Ontario

1982: Lake Ontario Suite II, David Jean Gallery, Toronto 

- Show of Shows, studio show, Toronto

- Cross Section, Public Library Gallery, Barrie, Ontario

1981: Dreams, Myths, Memories, LeMay / Carrell Gallery, Toronto

1980: Allan O'Marra Retrospective, 1970 - 1980, Bancroft, Ontario

- Lake Ontario Suite, Beach Gallery Cafe, Toronto

1979: Image Collector, Beach Gallery Cafe, Toronto

1971: Gallery 76, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Group Exhibitions

2015: Third annual Allan’s Artists show, McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

- Art Gallery of Bancroft Annual Juried Show, (Best Mixed Media), Bancroft, Ontario

2014: Second annual Allan’s Artists show, McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

- The Latcham Gallery Annual Juried Exhibition, Stouffville, Ontario

- Art Gallery of Bancroft Annual Juried Show, (Honourable Mention–Oils), Bancroft, Ontario

- Oshawa Art Association Annual Juried Show, (Best Landscape), McGlaughlin Gallery, Oshawa

- Annual Uxbridge Juried Art Show, Town Council Chambers, Uxbridge, Ontario

- Pine Ridge Arts Council Annual Juried Show, McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

- Red Hot, Scarborough Arts Council Jury Show, (Juror's Award), Cedar Ridge Art Centre, Toronto

- Slice of Life, Annual Members Juried Exhibition, Station Gallery, Whitby

2013: Art  Perspectives, Conference Place Gallery, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby

- Childsight, Scarborough Arts Annual Juried Show, Papermill Gallery, Toronto

2012: The Black and White Ball (juried show), The Propellor Gallery, Toronto

- Latcham Gallery Annual Juried Show, Stouffville, Ontario

- Annual Juried Show, (Honourable Mention–Oils ),Algonquin Art Gallery, Bancroft, Ontario

- Oshawa Art Association Annual Juried Show, (Best Use of Colour) McGlaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, Ontario

- EGO, Scarborough Arts Council Jury Show, (Victor Mitic Award) Papermill Gallery, Toronto

- Annual Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto

- Off the Pages (artists featured in Surfacing Magazine), Station Gallery, Whitby, Ontario

- Uxhibition Annual Juried Show, Town Council Chambers, Uxbridge, Ontario

- Au Naturel, SilverStone Gallery, Pickering, Ontario

- Allan’s Artists, SilverStone Gallery, Pickering

- Shift, members’ exhibition at the Station Gallery, Whitby

2011: Eccentricity, Scarborough Arts Council Annual Juried Show, Todmorden Gallery, Toronto

- Kaleidoscope, Conference Place Gallery, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby, Ontario

- Oshawa Art Association Annual Juried Show, (Best in Show, First Prize–Oils, Second Prize–Oils) McGlaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, Ontario

- Annual Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto

- Uxhibition Annual Juried Show, Town Council Chambers, Uxbridge, Ontario

- Pine Ridge Arts Council Annual Juried Show, (Honourable Mention–Oils) McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

2010: Scarborough Arts Council Annual Juried Show, Corridor Gallery, Toronto

- Framing Dames Gallery Juried Photography Show, (Best in Show), Scarborough, Ontario

- Intersection Show, Conference Place Gallery, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby (Honourable Mention)

- Oshawa Art Association Annual Juried Show, (Third Prize, Oils) McGlaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, Ontario

- Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto

- Self-portraits, 288 Markham Street Gallery, Toronto

- O’MARRA SQUARED – The Real and the Abstract, (two-person show with daughter, Emily)

- Where They Are Now – OCADU Alumni Exhibition, Art Square Gallery, Toronto

- Annual Juried Show, Station Gallery, Whitby, Ontario

2009: Spring Fling, Gallery 888, Toronto

- The Art Gallery Inaugural Juried Show, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby, Ontario

- Oshawa Art Association Annual Juried Show, (Second Prize, Oils) McGlaughlin Gallery, Oshawa, Ontario

- Framing Dames Gallery Juried Show (First Prize, Oils), Scarborough, Ontario

- 2-person show, Conference Place Gallery, Ontario Shores Mental Health Centre, Whitby, Ontario

- Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto

- Uxhibition Annual Juried Show, Town Council Chambers, Uxbridge, Ontario

- Via-a-vis, Arta Gallery, Distillery District, Toronto

- The McMichael gallery Volunteer Committee 19th Annual Art Show, Kleinberg, Ontario

- Pine Ridge Arts Council Annual Juried Show, McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

- Annual Square Foot Show, Framing Dames Gallery, Scarborough, Ontario

- Durham West Arts Centre 1st Annual Group Show, Greenwood Library, Greenwood, Ontario

2008: Lion’s Club Art Show, Cobourg, Ontario

- Framing Dames Gallery Juried Show, Scarborough, Ontario

- Annual Square Foot Show, AWOL Gallery, Toronto

- 38 at 888, Café Society Group Show, Gallery 888, Toronto

- Uxhibition Annual Juried Show, Town Coucil Chambers, Uxbridge, Ontario

- Pine Ridge Arts Council Annual Juried Show, McLean Community Centre, Ajax, Ontario

- Motion Juried Show, Framing Dames Gallery, Scarborough, Ontario

2007: Pine Ridge Art Council Juried Show, Ajax, Ontario

2004: Spadina Group Show, Toronto

2001 & 2002:  Toy Camera Photography Show, Prato and Milan, Italy

1994 & 1995: Sobot Fine Art, Toronto

1986: Soghor/Leonard Gallery, New York City

1985: Waterworks  (two person), Victoria Art Gallery, Toronto

Three person show, Leedhams, Toronto

Snow Show, Idee Gallery, Toronto

1984: Snow Show, Idee Gallery, Toronto

- O.S.A. Image ‘84, Toronto

1983: Self Portraits by Men, Punchinello Gallery, Toronto

- Two person, Knight Gallery, Toronto

- Dolphin Gallery, Toronto

1982: O.S.A. Image '82, Toronto, St. Thomas, Ontario

- Greenwood Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario

1980: Realists '80, McDowell Gallery, Toronto

- Eight for Eighty, David Jean Gallery, Toronto

1979: Gallery Genesis, Toronto

- Visions II, Bancroft, Ontario

- Year of the Child (two person), David Jean Gallery, Toronto

1978: Visions, Bancroft, Ontario

- O.S.A. Image '78, Toronto, Oakville, Cambridge, Stratford, Ontario

1975: Chandou Gallery, Toronto

1974: Seedlings Art Gallery, Toronto

1972 & 1973: Irvine Kress Gallery, Willowdale, Ontario

1970: Sixteen D'Arcy Group show, Toronto, Ontario

Collections

Private collections: Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Nashville, New York City, Atlanta and Los Angeles

Corporate collection: BMO Bank of Montreal
Permanent collection: Town of Ajax, Ontario

Contact Information

haomarra@gmail.com 

905-683-1860   

7 Grayson Road, Ajax , Ontario L1Z 1E4

www.allanomarra.com