Self-taught and with no formal training, he quickly became one of the real forces behind the British psychedelic art movement, and he was a contributor to all three of the most influential and important underground publications of the 1960s: Oz (magazine), Gandalf's Garden and International Times.
His early work (as much of it still is today) was crowded with flowers, birds and insects – highly detailed observations from the natural world he saw around him in the Devon countryside where he lives.
He continued to work on books and produced fine art paintings, first in oils then in acrylics, pencil and watercolour.
In 2001 he started painting full time still designing posters and album covers including Gryphon (Band), Judy Dyble, Lowell Lovinger (The Youngbloods), Barry Melton, It's a beautiful Day, Martin Stone (guitarist) but concentrates on fine art painting – usually in acrylic on canvas, paper or wood panel.
– John Hurford (Shortland) NZ, US, Aus written and illustrated 2001: No Roof in Bosnia – Els de Groen (Spindlewood) UK new cover 2001: The Dead are listening – Francis McCrickard (Spindlewood) UK cover 2001: Snow Globe – Anne Merrick (Spindlewood) UK cover 2006: Johnny, the Work of Psychedelic Artist John Hurford – John Hurford, edited Jonathan Hill (Sunrise Press) UK, Global entire 2010: Ackroyd's Ark Two – charity book for Tusk Trust one painting 2014: The Art of Big O (Big Vision Publishing) US, UK ten pages 2014: South West Academy Art+People+Place – Michael Carter (Halstar) examples of his fine art 2015: Later Graphic Work – John Hurford (Wixon Editions) entire 2016: You Say You Want a Revolution (Exhibition catalogue – Victoria and Albert Museum, London) UK (Harry N Abrahams) US 2016: Rural Bliss (Wixon Editions) entire 2017: British Underground Press of the Sixties (Rocket 88) UK illustrations included 2018: It Must be Art – Michael Fishel (Schiffer) US 2018: Moth – Jane Springer (LSU Press) US cover 2019: One Hundred Years of the Society of Graphic Fine Arts (SGFA) UK examples of his fine art