French artist Jules Tavernier, painting in Hawaii, saw Hitchcock's sketches and convinced him to study art seriously.

After Tavernier's death in 1889 Hitchcock studied painting at the National Academy of Design in New York City and from 1891 to 1893 at the Académie Julian in Paris under Aldolphe Bourguereau and Gabriel Joseph Ferrier.

He married Hester Judd Dickson (August 30, 1865 – November 24, 1921) on June 16, 1898, at the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, Honolulu.

He spent the remainder of July and August at Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, where he painted and exhibited his oils and watercolors at the Fourth Annual of the Carmel Arts and Crafts Club.

In 1912, 1913, 1920 and 1924, he returned to San Francisco to exhibit at several commercial galleries, including Vickery, Atkins & Torrey, the St. Francis Hotel, and Rabjohn & Morcom.

[10] Later, he traveled to New York City, painting dramatic views of Hawaii for the new steamers Haleakala and Malolo of the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company.

[11]: 144  Hitchcock and Wilder were both artists, having similar backgrounds in art and travel, even sketching the grounding of the steamship Manchuria together in August, 1906.

In 2003 the Volcano Art Center had a special competition for Pele paintings, in an effort to create a more modern and culturally authentic rendering.

This record was set by Untitled, Burning Lake, Hawaii, an 18.13" x 36.25" oil painting on canvas sold August 3, 2021, at Bonhams, sale of California and Western Art.