Harold Hanson

Hardy and I shared both University activities and in the early days social activities int his and his families wonderful home and garden. I came to respect and like him for many reasons including the fact that unlike many of his colleagues he respected me as a fellow academic and did no belittle me as a woman in the then sea of male faculty . Hardy was smart, clearly talented and an important voice in the institution building early days of UCSC. Hardy led an interesting and well lived...

Hardy Hanson was one of the best teachers I have ever had. I enjoyed going to class and listening to him talk while we drew. I remember his rabbits. He was a very nice and patient man and knew how to explain drawing. I didn't know it at the time, but I too was raised in Long Beach and attended LB City College. And I too became a teacher thanks to the kind of inspiration I received at UC Santa Cruz. I remember him well.

I am very blessed as my father was a photographer who passed in 2009 but left me a Hardy Hanson oil painting from when he knew him in the late 1950's or early 60's. The painting is 10' long X 4' high and it is simply colored stripes. It is among one of my favorite things my dad left me as well as original Knoll & Eames furniture.

Hardy Hanson was my teacher.
He taught us four true things:
#1.If you spend the hours drawing you will learn to draw.
#2.If you have children you will love them with all your heart.
#3.If you work hard enough you can make a paradise in a wasteland.
#4. Ruth's chocolate frosting is really good on Ruth's chocolate cake.

Hardy and Ruth's household and life together are a gift to all who know them.
They share their enthusiasm with all of us.

I recall very fondly that Hardy came down to where I was living and had set up a studio--in a cold wet ground floor space in a barn--when I started studying art. I didn't have money to take classes, having spent what I had on a BA in lit at UCSC and having just bailed from a graduate program in Comp Lit in Wisconsin. He allowed me to sit in on his drawing class (audit) and visited my "studio" to give me some critiques. He was largely responsible for helping me pull out of a difficult time. I...

Hardy Hanson was my advisor at UCSC in 1974-75 and was the most sensitive, caring, honest and helpful teachers of my art education. He carried himself with a quiet and purposeful dignity. He will always embody, for me, the best that a teacher and artist can be.

Happy Birthday to Hardy who enriched and changed so many of us.

Hardy Hansen was a Santa Cruz art star, a gentleman and beloved by the community. We will miss this intelligent man whose art is so inspirational.

Hardy's life was like his art: filled with Presence: a recognizable but indescribable quality of uniqueness.

He enriched all of us who knew him, and helped us be better artists and individuals. He is so missed