An educator for the past 25 years and a professional illustrator for the past 40 years, Mark Bender brings the same mastery of craft and passion to convey his message into both realms. His teaching has been awarded the Inez C. Hall outstanding Faculty Award in 2008 from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and the Buhl Professorship Award from Chatham University in 2022. His illustration work has been recognized by Communication Arts magazine, 3X3 magazine, Archive: 200 Best Illustrators, Applied Arts magazine, AIGA, Creative Quarterly, the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators, and the New York Society of Illustrators.
A founding member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators, Mark has also been awarded both gold and silver Addys, Golden Quill Awards, and prestigious silver medals from both the New York Society of Illustrators and the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators. Mark has three works in the permanent collection of the Society of Illustrators Museum in New York.
Mark’s illustration is classically inspired and combines traditional media with contemporary technology to create compelling imagery that connects with the audience. His visual vocabulary pulls from vintage European advertising of the 1920s and 1930s, as well as from WPA and propaganda posters, giving contemporary concepts a timeless motif. Mark’s works have been incorporated into advertising, editorial, murals, and more for institutional clients such as the MLB, NHL, and NFL; Simon & Schuster, Sony Music, and NPR; UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh; Heinz USA, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pittsburgh; East End Brewing and La Prima Espresso; Pittsburgh Regional Transit, Federated Investors, and Commonwealth Press.
Says Mark: “Growing up in Indiana, Pennsylvania, a quick drive to Pittsburgh was always the way to celebrate life’s benchmarks with a great dinner at the Grand Concourse or by catching a game at Three Rivers Stadium or a show at the Civic Arena. The chance to create work that champions the city and its teams, culture, and beauty has been a focus of my illustrations for over 40 years.”
Contact Mark at:
412-952-2485 / m.bender@chatham.edu
