Artist Bio

John was born into a hundred year family tradition of artists beginnig with his great- grandmother through to his three children. Son Bryan Hewitt is instructor of Art at Academy of Art University in San Francisco while John is instructor of Art at the Albion Summer School of Art through Pacific Union College, Angwin, CA. Daughter Jacquelyn is a successful artist in Mendocino, CA. Son Will has publised small booklets of his short stories, poems and drawings. The Rasmussen Gallery of the Pacfic Union College featured the family in a show called "Generations- a hundred years of art" in 2004.

John was always interested in drawing as a child and became inspired to begin painting at Pacific Union College by Vernon Nye, then chair of the Art Department. He continued extensive study with Vernon and several other leading watercolorists of the California School of painting. Teachers and mentors include Millard Sheets, George Post. In 1994 Vernon Nye asked John to assist and later to headline the Albion school summer classes sponsored by the college. The art school has nowbeen is existence over 40 years.

John has shown in over 100 juried national shows in past 20 years with over 30 awards. His accolades include signature membership in Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Watercolor West, Texas Watercolor Society, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, Kentucky Watercolor Society and others. To obtain signature status one must be accepted into three years of juried competitions.

John began teaching over 20 years ago by invitation of the College of the Redwoods in Fortuna, CA and continues now with several workshops yearly in Italy and the US.