I am a self taught artist, born on a farm in North Devon in 1948. I have worked as a farmer all my life, but I painted in my spare time. In the late sixties I was one of the leading psychedelic painters, with my work appearing in Oz, IT and Gandalf’s Garden magazine. I then illustrated children’s books for publishers in UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Africa (over 40 titles).
My paintings were exhibited in France, UK, and New Zealand.
Five years ago I became a full time painter and turned part of my house into a gallery. I had several exhibitions there and also in Exeter and at The Burton Gallery in Bideford, where I now live.
With renewed interest in Psychedelic art, I have had work exhibited in the Whitney in New York, Tate Liverpool, and my early work is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
There is a book about me: Johnny, the work of Psychedelic artist John Hurford written by Jonathan Hill, published by Sunrise Press, which covers my work from the sixties until 2006.
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My influence has always been the flora, fauna and landscape of the North Devon area, particularly the area where I farmed. In the late sixties I started working in coloured inks, then explored oils, watercolours, acrylics, coloured pencils, pen and ink, and pencil. Now I work mostly in acrylics on canvas, linen, paper or wood and my subject matter has begun to include garden flowers (for a recent commission). I paint portraits (people and flowers) as well as some more fantasy subjects. |
