Hardy Martin was raised on his family’s ranch in rural West Texas, an environment where the dusty soil, cactus, and barbed wire of everyday life left a lasting impression that continues to inform his art. After completing a degree in Advertising Art at North Texas State University in the late 1960s, he embarked on a successful three-decade career in the commercial art world. He worked for several advertising agencies and design firms before founding his own art and design studio in Dallas in 1973. Following this accomplished career, Martin shifted his focus to fine art, developing a painting style characterized by broad, colorful, and loose strokes. For over fifteen years, he has successfully displayed and sold his work in numerous Dallas-area galleries. While his subject matter spans both traditional and contemporary themes, he now dedicates much of his time to capturing the rustic Southwest images of his youth.