Hilary Paynter MBE is one of the UK's leading wood engravers and past president of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers.

Hilary Paynter was born in Scotland and studied sculpture and wood engraving at Portsmouth Collage of Art. Having taught art in a variety of settings Hilary gained an MA and an MSc in Psychology and worked as an Educational Psychologist whilst following her parallel career as a wood engraver.

She has illustrated numerous books, including titles for the Greynog Press and her work is in the collections of the V&A, the Ashmolean Museum, the FitzWilliam Museum, the Laing Art Gallery and Hereford and Durham City Museums amongst others.

Hilary is President of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and former Chair of the Society of Wood Engravers.