CV
John Hurford HonSWAc SGFA is a North Devon Farmer who became a full time painter in 2001. He is a honorary member of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts. His work has been reproduced in many magazines and books since the 1960s and his early work is in the collection of the V&A museum. He has been shown in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, The Whitney in New York and The Tate Gallery in Liverpool.
From an early age he was fascinated by all the wildlife and flora he saw around the farm. He collected bones, skulls, dead animals, seed pods, owl and buzzard pellets to find out what was inside. He sketched all that he saw. He left school at sixteen to work on the farm continuing to draw and paint at home in the evenings. He submitted work to magazines in London and was published by them eventually writing and illustrating books. He still has a great interest in his surroundings and uses the plants, the animals, insects and birds he finds on the farm.
He has had many books published since the 1970s (listed under books on this website), has had many exhibitions locally and in New Zealand, France and London. He still designs posters and record covers but mostly is concerned with painting. He works in acrylic on canvas, paper or wood panel.
In June and July 2019 he went to Peninsular Malaysia with Dr Ivan Tacey from the University of Exeter to live with the Batek (an indigenous tribe) and is now producing work resulting from this experience.
From June 2015
June 2015
Flyer for "Powder" at the Betsey Trotwood, London
July 2015
Exeter Art Show, Maynard School
August 2015
Academicians exhibition at RAMM Museum, Exeter
September 2015
Labels for vinyl double 10","Banana recalls the Youngbloods"
October 2015
Flyer for "Get Together" Lowell Levinger, Battersea, London
November 2015
Publication of book "Later Graphic Work" John Hurford
December 2015
Artists and Illustrator "Artist of the Year", Mall Galleries, London
January 2016
SWAc at the Thelma Hulbert in Honiton, Devon
February 2016
Website design for "Paul Sand"
February 2016
Flyer for "South West by Shagrat"
April 2016
SWAc exhibition at Sherborne Abbey, Dorset
July 2016
Publication of "Rural Bliss", photographs from the eighties
July 2016
Book launch of Rural Bliss at the Julia Margaret Cameron Photography Museum, Dimbola, I.O.W
July 2016
Cover for "BananaFish" vinyl 7" 45
July 2016
Flyer for Shagrat Records I.O.W festival
July 2016, 2017
Calendar, Flame Tree publishing USA
September 2016
Art trek exhibition at Wixon Cottage
September 2016
Cover for Glenn Phillips "At the Rainbow" 12" vinyl album
September 2016
SWAc exhibition, Exeter Castle
October 2016
Cover for Bridget St John vinyl 7" 45
October 2016
"Devon Boys"exhibition at the Brownston, Modbury
October 2016
Web design for Gryphon
November 2016
Feature in book "Art of Big O", Big Vision Publishing, Austin, Texas
November 2016
SWAc charity postcard auction
January 2017
Painted otter statue for a charity event for Dartmoor National Park
January 2017
Flyer for Bridget St John at the Betsey Trotwood, London
February 2017
"Art of the Revolution" exhibition at the V&A museum, London
February 2017
"Art of the Unusual" at the Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset
April 2017
SWAc exhibition at Delamore, Ivybridge, Devon
April 2017
SGFA exhibition at RK Burt Gallery, Southwark, London
June 2017
Six page feature in Manor magazine
June 2017
Cover for Peter Lewis 12" vinyl
July 2017
Early work at Pink Floyd exhibition (Their Mortal Remains) at the Victoria and Albert Museum London
July 2017
Solo exhibition of paintings at Brownston Gallery, Modbury
August 2017
Cover for Honey Pot - Ascending Scales - double 12" vinyl (then CD)
September 2017
Flyer for "Red Propellers" at the Betsey Trotwood
October 2017
Cover for The Green Ray - Half Sentences - 12"vinyl (after CD cover)
November 2017
Cover for Lords of Thyme - The Future of Things Past - 12" vinyl
December 2017
Flyer for Lords of Thyme at Betsey Trotwood, Lonmdon
February 2018
Paintings in Resurgence magazine
April 2018
Exeter Art Show, at the Maynard School, Exeter
April 2018
SWAc exhibition at Delamore, Ivybridge, Devon
April 2018
CD design for Lee Riders on High on the Pygtrack records
April 2018
SGFA exhibition at the RK Burt Gallery in Southwark, London
May 2018
Exhibition, "Tales from the Edge" in 54 The Gallery, Shepherds Market, London
June 2018
Flyer for "Pygtrack" records, Cornwall
June 2018
Exhibition of paintings and books at See Spray Gallery, Hastings
August 2018
CD cover and design for ReInvention by Gryphon, followed by design for the double vinyl release
August 2018
Cover design for Justin Spivey, tape and CD release
September 2018
Wraparound cover of "Nature Shimmer" by Ed Wynne, Vinyl and CD release
October 2018
Solo exhibition in the Brownston Gallery, Modbury, South Devon
October 2018
Exhibition as a member of the Society of Graphic Fine Art in the Menier Gallery, London SE1 1RU and my drawing on the cover of the catalogue
October 2018
Cover and inside artwork for "Three Seasons", triple vinyl record on Fruits De Mer records in UK and US
October 2018
Cover of "Moof Magazine"
October 2018
16 page feature in "It must be Art" by Michael Fishel published in the US by Schiffer
November 2018
Solo exhibition "SuperNature" at the See Spray Gallery Hastings
January 2019
Cover for Ed Wynne "Shimmer into nature" CD,
February 2019
Cover for "Rattlesnakes and Heartstrings" 10" vinyl album for Jeff Horsey
March 2019
Cover for "Big Front Yard" vinyl album on Shagrat records
March 2019
One Hundred Years of Graphic Fine Art - a few paintings
March 2019
"Psychedelia and Beyond" solo exhibition at Pop, Barnstaple. Paintings, posters artwork, lightshow, installations
April 2019
Re-issue of Ghosts of Dance 12" vinyl with my artwork
June 2020
Cover design for Guranfoe, CD and vinyl album
June 2020
Resurgence magazine (paintings)
October 2020
Martin Stone CD boxed set
January 2021
Design for Gryphon "Get Out of My Fathers Car", vinyl and CD
July 2021
SGFA Centenary Show at the Mall Gallery in London
August 2021
"Art of the Unusual" exhibition with other artists at Bridport Arts Centre
March 2022
"SWAc Spring Exhibition" at the Brownston Gallery in Modbury, South Devon
April 2022
Paintings at Delamore Arts, Cornwood, South Devon
June 2022
Cover for David Elara single
September 2022
"Rustic Hinge and the Provincial Swimmers" double vinyl album cover, subscriber disc and inserts
November 2022
SWAc exhibition at Kennaway House, Sidmouth, East Devon
November 2022
Open Studio at my studio, North Devon
March 2023
"Rain Parade" poster
March 2023
Exhibition of prints at Adams Gallery, Reigate
May 2023
SWAc exhibition at Delamore Arts, Cornwood, Ivybridge
July 2023
Solo show at the Canvas Restaurant, Broomhill Arts, North Devon
July 2023
Flower Power exhibition in the library, Barnstaple, Devon
July 2023
Art Upstairs Gallery, Bideford, Devon
July 2023
SWAc exhibition at the Sou Sou West Gallery on the Symondbury Estate, Bridport, Dorset
July 2023
Barbara Manning Poster
August 2023
The Brainiac Five - Memory or Dream cover, insert and Label artwork
September 2023
Art Plus Frames Gallery, Crediton, Devon
September 2023
Exhibition of Paintings, Appledore Book Festival, Appledore, North Devon
September 2023
Talk on Graphic Novels with Dave McKean and Karrie Fransman
October 2023
Paintings, prints, Gallery Upstairs, Bideford, North Devon
October 2023
SWAc Open, Kennaway House, Sidmouth, Devon