Jean Foulds was born in Derbyshire but her family connection to Cornwall goes back to WW2 and she has lived in the county since 2002. She undertook her teacher training in Huddersfield and obtained an MA degree researching children's drawing from Leicester University.

Foulds is a regular exhibitor at The Bay in Penzance. An article in The Cornishman in 2012 mentioned that she recalled seeing Barbara HEPWORTH in St Ives at an early age. She has worked as a volunteer at Tate St Ives since 2005.

Works held by the art collection at Leicester University include her painting 'Primordial' and a sculpture 'The Stargazers'.