Born in York, Hugh West's family moved to Wales when he was six. He became a student at Hereford School of Art & Design, going on to take a diploma in ceramics at Redruth School of Art. In 1971 he established his own pottery in Newquay. After four years he moved to Devon until an opportunity arose in 1982 to spend a number of years in La Borne, Cher, France. Here he acquired an insight into traditional techniques of wood firing still practised in that region.

West returned to Cornwall in 2014, settling in Perranwell near Truro. He has held numerous solo shows in the UK, and collective shows in Europe, Japan, the USA, Saudi Arabia and Korea.