Hilary Bowen was born in Dorchester, England and moved to Southampton in 1973 where she studied psychology before embarking on a career in teaching. She first started woodturning in 1991 and shortly after joined the Hampshire Woodturners Association.

Hilary has a long-standing interest in jewellery-making involving a variety of media and techniques which include complex beadwork, pewter-casting and silver-smithing. It is not surprising that her interest in jewellery-making and wood-turning would lead her to combine the two, to create earrings, bangles, brooches and other similar items.

When not wood-turning jewellery, Hilary also enjoys turning natural-edged bowls, preferably from burrs. Her experience in working with silver, pewter and other metals also led to an interest in combining metal with wood in a variety of ways to create some unique effects. It is her intention to continue developing multi-media techniques in her work.