His work is influenced by the landscape of the South Downs and his main subject area is the countryside of West Sussex, England.
During the past decades his work has evolved into an abstract style using a range of earth colours.
[2] He attended Bedales School near Petersfield, Hampshire, and studied at the Academy of Art, Corsham.
He lives near Petworth, West Sussex and works at the studio his father built in the woods.
In March 2020 Southampton City Art Gallery mounted a major retrospective of John Hitchens' paintings, covering more than five decades of his work.