Born 1930 in Onehunga.
Attended Otahuhu College.
Trained as a Primary School teacher, Auckland Teachers College 1949-1950.
Three sons born 1951, 1953 and 1957.
Part time teacher at various primary schools in Auckland until 1959.
Part time art teacher for several years at Hilltop School, Blockhouse Bay 1960.
Since then Lois tutored at various institutions and schools including Auckland Society of Artists, Outreach (Art Station), summer schools and private classes.
1954 Attended summer school (WEA) tutored by Michael Nicholson.
1955-57 Part time student in design at Elam School of Fine Art tutors included Michael Nicholosn (who introduced McIvor to Colin McCahon) and Ida Eise (who introduced McIvor to painting in oils)
1958-61 Attended studio classes taught by Colin McCahon in the Attic of the Auckland City Art Gallery.
1980 Founding member of the Association of Women Artists.
During the past 40 years McIvor has been dedicated in producing a consistent body of work. One that is at once poetical and lyrical, intensely private and personal filled with optimism and hope, occasionally doubt and uncertainty. By limiting her subject matter to that which she knows intimately, using a visual vocabulary and limited colour palette that were personally meaningful, and applying that colour in a symbolic way. She has been very successful in conveying her personal vision of life. As a painter she is a visionary, she paints of dreams, of possibilities of things past and things to come. (Wendy J Harsant)