About the Artist
Frank Barnhardt is a Fairfax, California-based illustrator, product designer, and artist. He works across three distinct voices — each one shaped by the landscapes, culture, and energy of Northern California.
His large-scale textured paintings carve wave energy onto canvas — heavy body acrylics layered thick, capturing the weight and motion of the Pacific.
His ink and paint illustrations pull from the quiet moments of Marin — the trails, the towns, the characters who make the place feel like home.
And his stencil work celebrates local wildlife and environmental responsibility — multi-layer cuts on wood panels, where precision meets texture.
The Studio
Everything is made by hand in a small studio in downtown Fairfax. No assistants, no print-on-demand middlemen. When you buy a piece, you're buying something I touched at every stage — from the first sketch to the final coat of varnish.
I've been painting since I could hold a brush, but the work you see here started taking shape around 2018 when I committed fully to making art my life. Surf culture, Marin County, and years of product design all feed into what I make now.
What I Work With
Surfaces: Birch panels, stretched canvas, heavyweight paper, reclaimed wood
Paint: Heavy body acrylics, fluid acrylics, spray paint, India ink
Tools: Hand-cut quill pens, palette knives, custom stencils, molding paste
Prints: Giclee reproductions on archival paper, made to order
Get in Touch
For commissions, show inquiries, or just to say hello — head over to the Contact page or email me directly at frank@frankpaints.com.