HANNAH BENDER IS A PAINTER and printmaker BASED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.

she is currently working on her mfa in painting at the university of houston with plans to graduate in may 2025.

Layer upon layer, my paintings hold records of movement, an accretion of marks and gestures that are bound by chance and intuition. Each mark is made without strict planning, allowing the process to unfold organically. Pigment is thrown, pooled, smeared, scraped and sprayed as I develop a surface with unpredictable marks, pattern, and texture. The process is physical and performative, engaging my entire body as I react with both intention and instinct.

In conjunction, photographic printing methods are utilized to transfer dark, abstracted images of railcars over top. These images are rough, industrial, and heavy, creating tension between the fluid nature of the painted marks. The surface, usually stretched silk organza, and the use of bright color allude to a feminine impulse, clashing with the harsh, masculine nature of the imagery and media application. Light versus dark, steel versus silk, industrial versus organic — my work explores and disrupts gendered dichotomies, revealing nuanced tensions between these forces. 

curriculum vitae

  • Master of Fine Arts, Painting

    University of Houston, Houston, TX

    May 2025

    Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design

    University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR

    May 2022

  • Adjunct Faculty, Printmaking

    University of Houston, Houston, TX

    Aug 2025 - May 2026

    Artist in Residence

    Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, CA

    Aug 4 - 15, 2025

    Gallery Assistant + Preparator

    The Lanecia A. Rouse Gallery, Houston, TX

    Oct 2023 - Current

    Gallery Preparator

    Lawndale Art Center, Houston, TX

    July 2023 - Current

    Graduate Teaching Fellow

    University of Houston, Houston TX

    Aug 2023 - May 2025

    Studio Assistant

    Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle, ME

    Aug 2024

    Gallery Preparator

    Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, TX

    Jan 2023 - June 2024

    Studio Assistant

    Taylor Smalls, Oakland, CA

    May 2022 - July 2022

  • The Inky Photographer, polymer photogravure workshop instructed by Matt Magruder, Flatbed Press, Dec 14 - 15, 2024

    Advanced Aquatint, intaglio workshop instructed by Belinda Casey, Flatbed Press, Nov 9 - 10, 2024

  • 47th Annual MFA Thesis Exhibition, Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, TX

    group exhibition, Mar 21 - Apr 20, 2025

    Decision ‘24, Charles Adams Gallery, Lubbock, TX

    group exhibition, juror: Brandon Zech, Nov 1 - Dec 2, 2024

    #NEWVISIONS2024, Texas Photographic Society

    online group exhibition, juror: Keily Anderson-Staley, opened Apr 19, 2024

    flammable, Elgin Street Studios, Houston, TX

    solo exhibition, Mar 21 - Apr 20, 2024

    By Hand: Alternative Processes, Center for Contemporary Arts, Abilene, TX

    group exhibition, juror: Christine Anderson, Dec 7, 2023 - Feb 3, 2024

    The Big Show, Lawndale Art Center, Houston, TX

    group exhibition, juror: Dr. Kanitra Fletcher, June 1 - Aug 12, 2023

    UCA Lactation Suites, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR

    permanent duo exhibition with Lindsey (Witting) Barnum, opened Feb 13, 2023

    BA/BFA Exhibiton, Baum Gallery, Conway, AR

    group exhibition, jurors: UCA Art + Design Faculty, Apr 7 - 18, 2023

    Black, White, and Shades of Gray, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA

    group exhibition, juror: Harry Frank, June 19 - July 25, 2021

  • Nancy Luton Printmaking Education Grant, PrintMatters, Oct 2024

    Outstanding Student in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, faculty nomination + application, University of Central Arkansas, May 2022

    Bear C.L.A.W.S. (Celebrating the Loftly Achievements of our Wonderful Students) Award, faculty nomination, University of Central Arkansas, Feb 2022

q & a

  • All of my work is for sale unless otherwise noted. Pricing is available upon request. Please email hannahpaintsalot@gmail.com or fill out the contact form for inquiries.

    Payment plans available

  • I do accept commissions on a case-by-case basis. Currently, I'm only open to projects that allow artistic freedom and situate well with my style.

  • I love studio visits! If you're a fellow artist or just simply interested in my practice, I would love to speak with you in my studio. Reach out through the contact form or through email at hannahpaintsalot@gmail.com.

  • Connect with me! I share my practice predominately through Instagram @hannahpaintsalot.