Hardy, Don Ed: - A Southern California native born in 1945, Hardy completed a B.F.A. degree in printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute. In 2000 he received an honorary doctorate from SFAI. His focus now is on painting, printmaking, and works in other media that have been exhibited in galleries and museums internationally. In addition to curating several shows, he has written and published more than thirty books on alternative art under the Hardy Marks imprint. Hardy's various works form the basis of the global fashion line Ed Hardy, that became an international phenomenon. His life and works are documented in a variety of books and films. In addition to showing his own works, Hardy has curated a number of exhibitions for both galleries and nonprofit spaces and frequently lectures at museums and universities. His work has appeared in numerous periodicals, books, and films internationally. In 2000, he was appointed by Oakland mayor Jerry Brown to that city's Cultural Arts Commission, and awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the San Francisco Art Institute. Hardy divides his time between his studios in Honolulu and in San Francisco.