The artist after bathing in the blood of her enemies... or it could just be some brick dust after working with mulch in the garden. It's hard to say with this one.
Heather Hansma is a painter living and working in Metro Detroit. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. Heather has participated in dozens of shows around the United States, as well as several shows she has curated herself. Her work has been published in Metro Times, Real Detroit Weekly, Metro Parent, Between the Lines, and Detroiter magazine.
Hansma was born and raised in Cincinnati, OH, and spent her teen years living in Northern Michigan before moving to Detroit as a young adult. She has been a huge fan of rabbits her whole life which is why so much of her early work centers around her bunny-inspired characters called the Puff Buns™. In addition to the Puff Buns and her ubiquitous Pirate Bunny logo, she has also surrounded herself with actual lagomorphs: her pet rabbits Bean and Jim James who were all adopted from the Michigan Humane Society, along with Finnegan, Greg, and Steve who have all hopped over the proverbial rainbow bridge.
In recent years, Hansma’s work has evolved into explorations of color and material as well as the nature of time. As society has become so focused on streamlining productivity and using technology to make work faster and faster, her art focuses on using techniques that use the incidental nature of physical material that are naturally time consuming. Paintings are created layer by layer over the course of days, weeks, and even months.
Heather is also one of the founders and co-owners of Craft Crate. The Classic Craft Crate™ is a patented growler carrier designed and made with love by craft beer lovers for craft beer lovers. The company also specializes in other craft beer-themed artwork and accessories.
Email: heather@hansmaillustration.com
Selected Exhibitions
Gregory (top) and Steve (below) eating an oatmeal snack before going back to trying to kill each other. They are dicks like that.
2025
Re/View: 2025 CCS Alumni Exhibition. Valade Family Gallery, Detroit, MI
2016
ComiqueCon. Arab American Museum, Dearborn, MI
2015
ComiqueCon. Arab American Museum, Dearborn, MI
2014
The Last Record Shop. Public Pool, Hamtramck, MI
2013
Bits and Pieces. LIFT, Royal Oak, MI
Joke’s On You, Buddy! Curator. Starkweather Arts Center, Romeo, MI
The End Is Near. OhNo!Doom, Chicago
Call for Art poster for Day of the Dead show at Starkweather Arts Center curated by Heather Hansma in 2011.
2012
Adventure Time Tribute Show. OhNo!Doom, Chicago
72 Pins. Yetee Gallery, Aurora, IL
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Starkweather Arts Center, Romeo, MI
LoveSick. Three-person show. LIFT, Royal Oak, MI
2011
Reclaimed. Rivers Edge Gallery, Wyandotte, MI
Dia de los Muertos. Curator. Starkweather Arts Center, Romeo, MI
Urban Roots. 323East, Royal Oak, MI
Happy Serum. Three-person show. Starkweather Arts Center, Romeo, MI
Meth & Hot Dogs 2. LIFT, Royal Oak, MI
Out o’ the Woodwork. OhNo!Doom, Chicago
2010
Natural Resources 3. LIFT, Royal Oak, MI
The MODOK Show. Headspace Gallery, Dearborn, MI
A Bun A Day. Solo Show. Five 15, Royal Oak, MI
The Tattoo Show. Starkweather Arts Center, Romeo, MI
It Came From the Gutter. The Majestic Complex, Detroit
Covered! Headspace Gallery, Dearborn, MI
2009
First Solo Show: Bunderland, 2009
Bunderland. Solo Show. Five15, Royal Oak, MI
Meth and Hot Dogs. Cranky Yellow, St. Louis
From Detroit With Love. 5e Gallery, Detroit
Multiple Personalities 2.0. LIFT, Royal Oak, MI
Continuance…The Persistence of Personal Vision. Northville Art House, Northville, MI
Lollybot Collective Presents RESTRICTIONS. Izzy’s Raw Art Galley, Detroit
I Hate Lucy. The Russel Industrial Center, Detroit
The Dirty Show. Bert’s Warehouse Theater, Detroit
2008
Detroit Summer Munny Show Vol. 2. LIFT, Royal Oak, MI
The Blank Show. 4731 Gallery, Detroit
Wood To Your Mother. The Russel Industrial Center, Detroit
2007
Ogres vs. Bunnies. Two-person show. U245 Gallery, Detroit