Rebecca Bender

Rebecca is fascinated by the connection between emotion and art. While she greatly values aesthetics in her work, as she progresses with her practice, she is also looking for meaning behind her work. She traces this fascination to her first painting commission in art school when she was tasked with capturing the spirit of a client’s pet bird that had passed away. Rather than try to capture her likeness with a portrait, she decided to paint an abstract painting, aiming to infuse it with her spirit. When the client saw the finished piece, their first words were, ‘That’s her.’ It was an incredible awakening to the power of art—not just as personal expression, but as a bridge between people, emotions, and the things we hold dear.

Rebecca is based in the Pacific Northwest, where the region’s close connection to nature influences her painting. She studied at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, B.C. Today, she continues to create pieces that resonate on an emotional level, inviting viewers to see a part of their own story reflected in her work.