Skip to content
JOHN HITCHENS Logo JOHN HITCHENS Logo JOHN HITCHENS Logo
  • Home
  • Artist’s Statement
  • Exhibitions
  • Publications
  • Gallery 1964 – 2020
  • Collections & Collaboration
  • Contact & Links
  • @jhitchens
  • Home
  • Artist’s Statement
  • Exhibitions
  • Publications
  • Gallery 1964 – 2020
  • Collections & Collaboration
  • Contact & Links
  • @jhitchens
Homeadmin2020-06-22T10:59:33+00:00

jhitchens
RE-POST @felixandspear Felix & Spear Gallery is de RE-POST @felixandspear Felix & Spear Gallery is delighted to announce its representation of John Hitchens (b.1940), focusing on his studio based work of the last three decades (1990 - present). John Hitchens’ main subject and source of inspiration is the landscape of the British Isles, its patterns, and forms in nature. Born in 1940, John Hitchens is the son and grandson of painters Ivon Hitchens (1893-1979) and Alfred Hitchens (1861-1942), respectively. Having studied at the Bath Academy of Art, Hitchens first came to public prominence in the 1960s and 1970s with solo exhibitions in London at the Marjorie Parr Gallery and Montpelier Studio. John Hitchens’ work has been acquired by many public institutions and private collections in the UK and overseas. While his early paintings were mostly pictorial descriptions of landscapes, Hitchens work from the 1990s onwards saw fundamental changes in his approach to the subject. During the past three decades, Hitchens has developed a visual language entirely his own. He turned his attention to exploring landscape through its essential components, such as stones, sand and wood, reducing structures to the basic forms of line and circle. During a period of photographing landscapes from the air, Hitchens gained an awareness of the land as a two-dimensional composition. This period was also marked by Hitchens’ departure from the use of conventional square-cornered canvases. His paintings in irregular shapes and with layered canvases reveal the influence of three-dimensional art forms, such as land art and sculpture. John Hitchens’ recent retrospective ‘Aspects of Landscape’ at the Southampton City Art Gallery (March to October 2020), presented the first overview of the range and variety of Hitchens’ work. Andrew Ellis, Director of Art UK, commented on the exhibition: ‘It is his sensitive observation of landscape, of man-made patterns and traces on the land, that makes John Hitchens’ work so relevant at a time when many of us are re-thinking our relationship to the land we inhabit.’ Felix & Spear, 71 St. Mary's Road, London W5 5RG Tel: 020 8566 1574; info@felixandspear.com #johnhitchens #ivonhitchens #art #felixandspear
FROM SOMBRE LANDS, 2001, oil on canvas, 127x487 cm FROM SOMBRE LANDS, 2001, oil on canvas, 127x487 cm / HARVEST AND STUBBLE, 1989, Album of aerial photographs, West Sussex, C-type prints, 5"x7" / UNDULATING PLOUGHLINES, 2000, acrylic on canvas, 72x152 cm A period of photographing the West Sussex landscape, the Weald and the South Downs, from the air is echoed in many works of the past thirty years. One of these paintings, 'From Sombre Lands', inspired an ongoing collaboration with American composer Peter Dayton ( www.peterdaytonmusic.com ). #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #sussex #southdowns #britishart #abstractart #fields #pattern #aerialphotography
LAND ECHOES, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 x 112 LAND ECHOES, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 x 112 cm When you’re painting outdoors, you’ve got the sound of the wind and the trees; it is relevant because that’s where you are. But in the studio you want to separate yourself from distractions, so music has that function. I always paint now with music. When I am painting indoors, quite apart from liking the music, it contains me in the room. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #land #echo #pattern
QUIET HAVEN, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183 cm T QUIET HAVEN, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183 cm The subject of the circle as a basic form in nature was a preoccupation for many years. It occurs in many paintings, collages and installations from c. 1990 onward, after a period of painting outdoors and in front of the subject came had come to an end. #johnhitchens , #painter, #landscape , #britishart , #abstractpainting , #circle , #form , #nature
Studio Installation, 2018, found and worked stones Studio Installation, 2018, found and worked stones / Sketchbook page, 1998, pen on paper, 29.5 x 21 cm / WAVE, 1998, oil on canvas, 152 x 305 cm The shape of the letter U could also be seen as a bent or curved line, or as the segment of a wave. A sketchbook page from the 1990s shows how theme was developed and used in different media. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #sussex #southdowns #britishart #abstractart #wave #sketchbook
Untitled (2173), 2008, oak wood, 173x51 cm / JOUR Untitled (2173), 2008, oak wood, 173x51 cm / JOURNEY, 1996, acrylic on artificial slate, 12x42 cm / ORIGINS, 1994, Conte on card, 70x96 cm The shape of the letter C (seen as an open circle) and the letter U (its expanded bowl form) inspired a series of works in wood.This period of exploration started in the 1990s and continued later with works in other media. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #nature #britishart #abstractart #drawings #wood
HARVEST / HARVEST SWIRL, 2020, acrylic, pen and in HARVEST / HARVEST SWIRL, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81x112cm HARVEST RISE, 1969, oil on canvas, 61x91.5 cm The changing surface and pattern of fields during harvest time has been an intriguing subject since the beginning. Some of the early paintings of the 1960s can be seen in the monograph 'Aspects of Landscape', published by Sansom, and in the current exhibition catalogue (link in bio). #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #fields #harvest #pattern
VERTCAL HORIZONTALS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 8 VERTCAL HORIZONTALS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81x112cm There is a visual connection between the installations and sculpture in the previous post and some of the recent work. Both are linked by close observation of forms in nature and landscape. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #nature #britishart #abstractart #lines
STICKS, No.13, 1990, installation / KING, 1997, li STICKS, No.13, 1990, installation / KING, 1997, lime wood, 176x46 cm / Untitled (P1040429), 1991, sawdust, coloured powder with PVA and acrylic paint on canvas, 183x183 cm Work with different materials and found objects from the 1990s onwards has an influence on my paintings and drawings to this day. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #nature #foundobjects #wood #sussex #britishart
ASCENDING FORMS, 1994, Conté on hand-made paper, ASCENDING FORMS, 1994, Conté on hand-made paper, 78 x 57 cm This drawing was done at the same time as the wooden uprights in the wooden uprights in the previous post, shortly after I had moved to my current studio. It was a period of experimenting with different materials and art forms. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #contemporaryart #abstractart #drawing #forms #nature
Painted Wooden Uprights, 1993, pine, 243-345 x38cm Painted Wooden Uprights, 1993, pine, 243-345 x38cm Stacked Shells, c.2010, oyster shells on wooden base, 245x30x30 cm After 1990 began a period of experimenting in other art forms such as sculpture and land art. The work in three-dimensional media has influenced my paintings since then. #johnhitchens #painter #britishart #contemporaryart #installation #wood #shells
LILY AND BLUE, 1985, oil on canvas, 56x62 cm / BL LILY AND BLUE, 1985, oil on canvas, 56x62 cm / BLACK PEONY, 1988, oil on canvas, 76x51 cm The intimacy of flowers complements the wide landscape, and it requires a very different approach. These pictures were painted towards the end of a period of 'descriptive' painting. With a different interpretation of landscape and work in other media after the 1980s, these were some of the last flower paintings. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #flowers #nature #britishart #contemporaryart
SHORE FLOWERS, 1968,oil on canvas, 76x88cm / FLOWE SHORE FLOWERS, 1968,oil on canvas, 76x88cm / FLOWER WINDOW SERIES, Selsey, 1968, and diary sketches Flowers have been a recurring subject matter from the start. (I was brought up with someone who painted flowers every year when it was flower season.) The early flower paintings are concerned with composition and space, with sparseness and poise emphasising the delicacy of the plant. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #flowers #nature #britishart #contemporaryart
POPPY ARRANGEMENT, 1967, oil on canvas, 63 x 76 cm POPPY ARRANGEMENT, 1967, oil on canvas, 63 x 76 cm Flower paintings are as much about the way flowers define the space around them, as they are paintings of the flowers themselves. In that sense there is a visual connection between these early flower paintings and the current, abstract paintings of landscapes. The picture is part of a new exhibition catalogue of early paintings, released today by https://moncrieff-bray.com/ebooks/john-hitchens/early-paintings-1964-1984 (link in bio) #johnhitchens #painter #britishart #contemporaryart #painting #southdowns #sussex #nature #flowers
UNRAVELLING FIELDS, 2000, Conte and gouache on car UNRAVELLING FIELDS, 2000, Conte and gouache on card, 71x97 cm / Painted Stone, 2020, acrylic on flint, 11x8x5 cm The bright colours of earlier paintings were gradually reduced, and the palette moved closer to earth colours. The curved lines and shapes, relating to the surrounding landscape, remained the same. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #drawings #paintedstones #fields
SUN WAVES, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183cm The SUN WAVES, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183cm The curved lines in nature are a recurring element in works in different media over many decades. There has been a shift in the use of colour since the 1990s towards a more restrained palette of natural or ‘earth colours’ in recent paintings. #johnhitchens #painter #britishart #shapes #pattern #contemporaryart #abstractart #sun #waves
LANDSCAPE STONES, c. 2010 and 2020, acrylic on fli LANDSCAPE STONES, c. 2010 and 2020, acrylic on flint, 25 - 33 cm / HARVEST LINE CHORDS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink on card, 81x112cm Gradually, over the years, photographs have become the main way of recording everyday observations, whilst still keeping diaries and making sketches and notes for compositions. Sometimes the juxtapositions of photographs show unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated objects, and thus they lead to ideas for new work. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #sussex #paintedstones #drawings #photography
CLOUDS AND FIELDS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 CLOUDS AND FIELDS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 x 112cm From the early cloudscapes to recent paintings that take as their motif observed and memorised land markings, seen from various perspectives, there is an underlying pattern in the work of six decades. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #nature #clouds #fields #pattern
Load More... Follow on Instagram

jhitchens
RE-POST @felixandspear Felix & Spear Gallery is de RE-POST @felixandspear Felix & Spear Gallery is delighted to announce its representation of John Hitchens (b.1940), focusing on his studio based work of the last three decades (1990 - present). John Hitchens’ main subject and source of inspiration is the landscape of the British Isles, its patterns, and forms in nature. Born in 1940, John Hitchens is the son and grandson of painters Ivon Hitchens (1893-1979) and Alfred Hitchens (1861-1942), respectively. Having studied at the Bath Academy of Art, Hitchens first came to public prominence in the 1960s and 1970s with solo exhibitions in London at the Marjorie Parr Gallery and Montpelier Studio. John Hitchens’ work has been acquired by many public institutions and private collections in the UK and overseas. While his early paintings were mostly pictorial descriptions of landscapes, Hitchens work from the 1990s onwards saw fundamental changes in his approach to the subject. During the past three decades, Hitchens has developed a visual language entirely his own. He turned his attention to exploring landscape through its essential components, such as stones, sand and wood, reducing structures to the basic forms of line and circle. During a period of photographing landscapes from the air, Hitchens gained an awareness of the land as a two-dimensional composition. This period was also marked by Hitchens’ departure from the use of conventional square-cornered canvases. His paintings in irregular shapes and with layered canvases reveal the influence of three-dimensional art forms, such as land art and sculpture. John Hitchens’ recent retrospective ‘Aspects of Landscape’ at the Southampton City Art Gallery (March to October 2020), presented the first overview of the range and variety of Hitchens’ work. Andrew Ellis, Director of Art UK, commented on the exhibition: ‘It is his sensitive observation of landscape, of man-made patterns and traces on the land, that makes John Hitchens’ work so relevant at a time when many of us are re-thinking our relationship to the land we inhabit.’ Felix & Spear, 71 St. Mary's Road, London W5 5RG Tel: 020 8566 1574; info@felixandspear.com #johnhitchens #ivonhitchens #art #felixandspear
FROM SOMBRE LANDS, 2001, oil on canvas, 127x487 cm FROM SOMBRE LANDS, 2001, oil on canvas, 127x487 cm / HARVEST AND STUBBLE, 1989, Album of aerial photographs, West Sussex, C-type prints, 5"x7" / UNDULATING PLOUGHLINES, 2000, acrylic on canvas, 72x152 cm A period of photographing the West Sussex landscape, the Weald and the South Downs, from the air is echoed in many works of the past thirty years. One of these paintings, 'From Sombre Lands', inspired an ongoing collaboration with American composer Peter Dayton ( www.peterdaytonmusic.com ). #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #sussex #southdowns #britishart #abstractart #fields #pattern #aerialphotography
LAND ECHOES, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 x 112 LAND ECHOES, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 x 112 cm When you’re painting outdoors, you’ve got the sound of the wind and the trees; it is relevant because that’s where you are. But in the studio you want to separate yourself from distractions, so music has that function. I always paint now with music. When I am painting indoors, quite apart from liking the music, it contains me in the room. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #land #echo #pattern
QUIET HAVEN, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183 cm T QUIET HAVEN, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183 cm The subject of the circle as a basic form in nature was a preoccupation for many years. It occurs in many paintings, collages and installations from c. 1990 onward, after a period of painting outdoors and in front of the subject came had come to an end. #johnhitchens , #painter, #landscape , #britishart , #abstractpainting , #circle , #form , #nature
Studio Installation, 2018, found and worked stones Studio Installation, 2018, found and worked stones / Sketchbook page, 1998, pen on paper, 29.5 x 21 cm / WAVE, 1998, oil on canvas, 152 x 305 cm The shape of the letter U could also be seen as a bent or curved line, or as the segment of a wave. A sketchbook page from the 1990s shows how theme was developed and used in different media. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #sussex #southdowns #britishart #abstractart #wave #sketchbook
Untitled (2173), 2008, oak wood, 173x51 cm / JOUR Untitled (2173), 2008, oak wood, 173x51 cm / JOURNEY, 1996, acrylic on artificial slate, 12x42 cm / ORIGINS, 1994, Conte on card, 70x96 cm The shape of the letter C (seen as an open circle) and the letter U (its expanded bowl form) inspired a series of works in wood.This period of exploration started in the 1990s and continued later with works in other media. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #nature #britishart #abstractart #drawings #wood
HARVEST / HARVEST SWIRL, 2020, acrylic, pen and in HARVEST / HARVEST SWIRL, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81x112cm HARVEST RISE, 1969, oil on canvas, 61x91.5 cm The changing surface and pattern of fields during harvest time has been an intriguing subject since the beginning. Some of the early paintings of the 1960s can be seen in the monograph 'Aspects of Landscape', published by Sansom, and in the current exhibition catalogue (link in bio). #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #fields #harvest #pattern
VERTCAL HORIZONTALS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 8 VERTCAL HORIZONTALS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81x112cm There is a visual connection between the installations and sculpture in the previous post and some of the recent work. Both are linked by close observation of forms in nature and landscape. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #nature #britishart #abstractart #lines
STICKS, No.13, 1990, installation / KING, 1997, li STICKS, No.13, 1990, installation / KING, 1997, lime wood, 176x46 cm / Untitled (P1040429), 1991, sawdust, coloured powder with PVA and acrylic paint on canvas, 183x183 cm Work with different materials and found objects from the 1990s onwards has an influence on my paintings and drawings to this day. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #nature #foundobjects #wood #sussex #britishart
ASCENDING FORMS, 1994, Conté on hand-made paper, ASCENDING FORMS, 1994, Conté on hand-made paper, 78 x 57 cm This drawing was done at the same time as the wooden uprights in the wooden uprights in the previous post, shortly after I had moved to my current studio. It was a period of experimenting with different materials and art forms. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #contemporaryart #abstractart #drawing #forms #nature
Painted Wooden Uprights, 1993, pine, 243-345 x38cm Painted Wooden Uprights, 1993, pine, 243-345 x38cm Stacked Shells, c.2010, oyster shells on wooden base, 245x30x30 cm After 1990 began a period of experimenting in other art forms such as sculpture and land art. The work in three-dimensional media has influenced my paintings since then. #johnhitchens #painter #britishart #contemporaryart #installation #wood #shells
LILY AND BLUE, 1985, oil on canvas, 56x62 cm / BL LILY AND BLUE, 1985, oil on canvas, 56x62 cm / BLACK PEONY, 1988, oil on canvas, 76x51 cm The intimacy of flowers complements the wide landscape, and it requires a very different approach. These pictures were painted towards the end of a period of 'descriptive' painting. With a different interpretation of landscape and work in other media after the 1980s, these were some of the last flower paintings. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #flowers #nature #britishart #contemporaryart
SHORE FLOWERS, 1968,oil on canvas, 76x88cm / FLOWE SHORE FLOWERS, 1968,oil on canvas, 76x88cm / FLOWER WINDOW SERIES, Selsey, 1968, and diary sketches Flowers have been a recurring subject matter from the start. (I was brought up with someone who painted flowers every year when it was flower season.) The early flower paintings are concerned with composition and space, with sparseness and poise emphasising the delicacy of the plant. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #flowers #nature #britishart #contemporaryart
POPPY ARRANGEMENT, 1967, oil on canvas, 63 x 76 cm POPPY ARRANGEMENT, 1967, oil on canvas, 63 x 76 cm Flower paintings are as much about the way flowers define the space around them, as they are paintings of the flowers themselves. In that sense there is a visual connection between these early flower paintings and the current, abstract paintings of landscapes. The picture is part of a new exhibition catalogue of early paintings, released today by https://moncrieff-bray.com/ebooks/john-hitchens/early-paintings-1964-1984 (link in bio) #johnhitchens #painter #britishart #contemporaryart #painting #southdowns #sussex #nature #flowers
UNRAVELLING FIELDS, 2000, Conte and gouache on car UNRAVELLING FIELDS, 2000, Conte and gouache on card, 71x97 cm / Painted Stone, 2020, acrylic on flint, 11x8x5 cm The bright colours of earlier paintings were gradually reduced, and the palette moved closer to earth colours. The curved lines and shapes, relating to the surrounding landscape, remained the same. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #drawings #paintedstones #fields
SUN WAVES, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183cm The SUN WAVES, 1991, acrylic on canvas, 183x183cm The curved lines in nature are a recurring element in works in different media over many decades. There has been a shift in the use of colour since the 1990s towards a more restrained palette of natural or ‘earth colours’ in recent paintings. #johnhitchens #painter #britishart #shapes #pattern #contemporaryart #abstractart #sun #waves
LANDSCAPE STONES, c. 2010 and 2020, acrylic on fli LANDSCAPE STONES, c. 2010 and 2020, acrylic on flint, 25 - 33 cm / HARVEST LINE CHORDS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink on card, 81x112cm Gradually, over the years, photographs have become the main way of recording everyday observations, whilst still keeping diaries and making sketches and notes for compositions. Sometimes the juxtapositions of photographs show unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated objects, and thus they lead to ideas for new work. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #abstractart #sussex #paintedstones #drawings #photography
CLOUDS AND FIELDS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 CLOUDS AND FIELDS, 2020, acrylic, pen and ink, 81 x 112cm From the early cloudscapes to recent paintings that take as their motif observed and memorised land markings, seen from various perspectives, there is an underlying pattern in the work of six decades. #johnhitchens #painter #landscape #britishart #nature #clouds #fields #pattern
Load More... Follow on Instagram
This site uses Cookies to improve your experience. By clicking ‘Accept’ you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Review our Privacy & Cookie Information for details.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

Go to Top