Jilly Ballantyne was born in Scotland and graduated from Gray's School of Art in 1989. In 1994 she moved to the Cote d'Azur, where she painted and taught art, hosting summer painting holidays at Matisse's former villa. It was here that she took part in the BBC Modern Masters TV series, with Alistair Sooke.

Ballantyne now lives in Cornwall, with a studio in Truro. She teaches art all over Cornwall, including hosting art weekends at the Hotel Tresanton in St Mawes. Her work has been exhibited widely in Cornwall, London and France.