McWhirter attended Bath Academy where she was trained as a painter gaining a BA in Fine Art in 1998. She continued her studies to gain a postgraduate MA in Visual Culture 2000. The Bath academy has produced such luminaries as the colourist Howard Hodgkin.

After establishing a career in publishing as well as teaching Art, McWhirter returned to south west Scotland to pursue her career as a painter, her raison d’etre.

McWhirter considers the process of painting, with a passion for colour especially. While at first glance there is a traditional element to her work, a contemporary edge subtly entices the viewer to look further. McWhirter’s studies of flowers are intimate compositions which evoke a mood through their vibrancy of colour and loose, bold brushwork. Her paintings are instinctive responses to her subject, often mixing paint directly on the canvas to create a sense of spontaneity which is prevalent in all her work.

Since moving to Glasgow in June 2012, McWhirter has been accepted by the Royal Glasgow Institute consecutively in 2012 and 2013 to exhibit in their Annual show.

McWhirter had exposure in The Scotland on Sunday in 2011 where she was described as ‘The new Scottish Colourist’. In 2012 Homes and Interiors Magazine deemed her one of the top Contemporary Scottish Colourists making waves in the art world. McWhirters instantly recognisable work is held in private collections throughout the UK. She will be showing internationally in 2014 at New York Art Fair.