The only son of the artist Ivon Hitchens, John is also a landscape and still life painter.
Hitchens was born in Hove, Sussex and now lives in Petworth. After studying at Bedales (1947-1957), he went on to the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham Court. Though his main subject is the countryside of West Sussex, England, there were also many periods painting in North Wales and North West Scotland. 'A period photographing these landscape elements from the air, gave me an awareness of seeing the land as a two-dimensional composition. Other elements have come from observing bands of natural dye colours, in hand woven rugs. These parallel the browns and ochres of field lines, linking back to the land itself.' John Hitchens
A monograph on the artist was recently published.
His first exhibitions were in the 1960s, with his first solo show at Marjorie Parr Gallery, King’s Road (1964) and many exhibitions with Parr for a decade following. He also exhibited at Ditchling Gallery (1967-71), David Paul Gallery, Chichester (1967-82), and Gilbert Parr Gallery, Chelsea (1977-79).
Since 1963 he also had a number of solo exhibitions in public art galleries and institutions, such as Oriel Davies Gallery; Southampton City Art Gallery; Salford City Art Gallery; Haslemere Museum; Leicester University; The Arts Centre, Horsham; Balliol, Hereford and Somerville Colleges, Oxford; and Clare College, Cambridge.
John Hitchens' work is represented in many public collections, including Brighton Art Gallery; Leicester City Art Gallery; Leicester University; Bradford City Art Gallery; Ferens Art Gallery in Hull; Towner Art Gallery; Eastbourne. Various corporations have also acquired his work, such as Chase Manhattan Bank in New York; British Steel Corporation; Nuffield Foundation; and Security Pacific National Bank.
