David Hillhouse was born in 1945 on the Wirral Peninsula.
He was educated on Wirral and studied art at Liverpool and Leicester. After teaching for several years he moved into the museum profession - first as a teacher and then as a curator.

He is an honorary member of the Royal Cambrian Academy, Chairman of the Wirral Society of Arts and a member of various other local art societies. He is a prize winner of the Royal West of England Academy.