Jean Hands was born in Birmingham, but now lives in Penzance, Cornwall. For many years she worked as an illustrator, whilst producing her own artwork.

Jean explores many different styles and subjects. Her early work consisted of black and white realistic pencil drawings, which explored various states of human experience through portraiture. Later work included using coloured pencils and pastels, and looked at the relationships between people and places. Since creating 'Lifeboat House', her work has evolved again, using photomontage and mixed media.