Heather Bourke-Bashar is an Irish-Australian multi-disciplinary artist and mentor for the arts based in Brisbane Meanjin. Employing an autoethnographic studio-based approach, her practice explores diasporic themes, unpacking the dichotomy of existence in a challenging transnational third space. Heather’s creative practice provides rich visuals, in the form of painting and sculptural responses informed by her research into the impact of migration on the formation of personal identity and relationships with national identity. Her established career in international arts education places her uniquely to be an empathetic witness to the experiences of child migrants. Observing the Third Culture Kids phenomenon firsthand within an Australian context, she contributes meaningfully to existing research through the facilitation of workshops and curation of exhibitions that provide TCKs with the opportunity to voice their migration stories, reflect upon their journeys and existence in a hybrid cultural space. Heather’s studio-based outcomes are concerned with the challenges presented by global nomadism, as well as a celebration of the formation of individual and hybrid culture fusions. Her practice expands upon the idea of contending cultural hierarchy and dominate cultural perspectives, exploring complex ranges of emotions brought about by dislocation, displacement and involuntary migration. Her research is underpinned by Postcolonial and Neo-colonial paradigms, asserting that to better understand our futures, we must better understand and re-historize our pasts. She currently balances her practice-led research and PhD candidature at QUT with teaching the International Baccalaureate in visual arts at Queensland Academies Creative Industries. Heather is an honours graduate of the National College of Art and Design, Ireland. She completed her masters in secondary education at Crawford College of Art and Design, UCC, Ireland. She has amassed an international career in the arts and education in locations such as Iran, Uzbekistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Ireland, Britain and Australia. Heather completed her Grad Cert (MAVA) at Griffith University, Queensland College of Art in 2021 before undertaking her PhD journey at QUT in the faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice .