Susan Hillier is originally from Surrey. Since leaving art school in 1970, she has been a professional artist. For several years she was a freelance illustrator for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, where her work included the dissection of herbarium specimens for scientific illustrations. She has painted prize winning orchids for the Royal Horticultural Society, and has been awarded RHS medals, including gold for her paintings. She has undertaken a large number of commissions for a variety of figurative work, much of it plant-based. She is an accomplished facsimile painter, and has worked by recommendation of the National Portrait Gallery.

A  keen gardener, Susan is a founder member of the Society of Botanical Artists. Her illustrations have been included in 'The Botanical Palette'. She has contributed illustrations for seven gardening books by Alan Titchmarsh, and in 'Exotic Botanical Illustration' by Rosie and Meriel.

She teaches botanical illustration for the SBA's diploma course. Besides conducting regular classes in the West Country, Susan teaches abroad, exhibits in commercial galleries and works to commission. Her solo exhibitions include one at the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro. Her work is held in private collections worldwide.