Earl Hofmann was a prominent figure in the Baltimore art circle and the New York art scene for many years. He was a founding member of the Baltimore Maroger Group and the Baltimore Six Realist, a group of artists who opened their own gallery in 1961.

A graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, Hofmann studied painting and drawing under Jacques Maroger, internationally renowned artist and author. Following graduation, Hofmann spent time as Maroger's graduate assistant in anatomy classes.

In 1951, while still an undergraduate, Hofmann began exhibiting at the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York where he won numerous prizes and was awarded a life membership. During this period he also studied with Reginald Marsh.

A prolific painter and muralist, Hofmann's work received national recognition in major exhibitions including the Corcoran and Venice Biennials and is in the permanent collections of several museums. His paintings were selected as part of a Guggenheim Traveling Exhibition and he was a fellow of the International Institute of Arts and Letters.