Barbara McAlister lives with her husband, Dennis, in picturesque Canaan, NH, near Cardigan Mountain on land bordered by the Indian River. Barbara was raised by a lively family of six boys and two girls by parents who encouraged creativity and industry.

Woodcarving is a craft learned from her maternal grandfather, E W Edmunds, Jr. and this turned into a business with work sold at The League of NH Craftsmen, Shelburne Museum, and many other shops and galleries of the years. The McAlister Collection is currently available at Artistic Roots and on Etsy.

Barbara learned to paint pictures along the way - mixing the right color for a bird was a good practice! She took classes here and there.

Fishing, gardening, and bird watching as well as raising animals and poultry, provides many hours of enjoyment for Barbara and her family. These activities are also an important source of inspiration for her work in wood and on paper and canvas.