Ed Hardy: Visionary Subversive is a major exhibition of original art by one of the world’s most well-known cultural icons.

Co-curated by Hardy’s assistant Trevor Ewald and presented by Varnish Fine Art at The Midway in San Francisco, this month-long art show includes Ed Hardy’s self-described “Automatic”, “Crazy Animal”, “Eyecon” and “Rose of No Man’s Land” paintings alongside the debut of his porcelain “Paños” inspired by jailhouse handkerchief art. With a half-century of fierce dedication as an artist, art historian and writer, Hardy seamlessly fuses disparate artistic elements to his own personal history, telling the story of his life in art.

During the counterculture revolution of 1960’s San Francisco, Ed Hardy began subverting notions of what art is, and elevated tattoo from a marginalized craft to the vital contemporary art form as it is known today. He continues to look beyond cultural boundaries to inspire his personal art and inform the public, promoting art world underdogs to Sailor Jerry infamy. Artists from Ed Hardy’s hometown of San Francisco and tattoo artists from around the world participating in the Bay Area Tattoo Convention will join him for our special events on Thursday October 29 and Monday November 2, 2015

Ed Hardy discusses his Visionary Subversive exhibition

Chuck Sperry and Chris Shaw discuss their MInd Spring exhibit, during the ArtPoint Masters of Venice Patrons event at Varnish Fine Art.

In Mind Spring, Sperry creates an icon of the Worldwide Occupy Movement and it's antecedent in the Arab Spring. The figure wreathed in blooming spring flowers is a representation of the surprising enlightened humanism, the opening mind, the broadened socio-political possibilities which has swept the world in 2011.

Chuck Sperry & Chris Shaw artist talk 2/01/12 at Varnish

Ron Garrigues discusses the elegantly veiled symbolism in 33 Cast Bronze Sculptures, Man and Beast Series, from his 99-piece retrospective exhibit of the last quarter century at Varnish Fine Art Feb. 25 to March 31, 2012.

Ron Garrigues: From Beginning to End at Varnish Fine Art

Chuck Sperry has honed the craft of designing and hand screen printing for over 15 years to become recognized throughout the world as one of the foremost rock poster artists. Elevating the craft to fine art, Sperry creates socio-political artwork beyond rock. He adheres to the ideal that beauty strengthens his message. Sperry works in San Francisco, but exhibits internationally from Bristol to Belgrade. He has been featured in documentaries for film and television in the US, Europe and Australia.

Chuck Sperry - Varnish Interview May 2012

Isabel Samaras is best known for lush and meticulously painted riffs on Old Masters that send up pop culture and classic fables. Her ribald images are woven with references to classic horror movies, ancient mythology, hip hop music, cheesy television, and childhood fairy tales. Magical realism and the forbidden fantasies of fabled characters present a world where elusive desires become reality and ill-fated journeys turn into enchanted honeymoons. Samaras’ work is a form of visual story telling – tender, witty, and mysterious painted narratives that are classical in technique and pop in content. Comparing her work to postmodern painting, one critic writes,"Samaras has created a truly populist art." Familiar to a broad audience through publications like Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose magazines, as well as the books “Vicious, Delicious & Ambitious: 20th Century Women Artists,” “Pop Surrealism: The Rise of Underground Art,” “Weirdo Deluxe: The Wild World of Pop Surrealism and Lowbrow Art” and her own monograph "On Tender Hooks: The Art of Isabel Samaras," she has also opened her studio to several TV crews and the documentary films including “The Lowdown on Lowbrow" and "Newbrow: Contemporary Underground Art."

Isabel Samaras - Varnish Interview May 2012

Isabel Samaras talks about her newest works from her 2012 solo exhibition "Making A Better Yesterday Today" and the sensibilities that influence her work in general.