Jennie Jones was born in Denver, Colorado. She attended the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center and graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in Art History. She joined the education staff of the Milwaukee Art Center where she remained for eleven years. She continued her commitment to the visual arts, both as a volunteer and professional during several moves including Chicago, Boston and Detroit. She moved to Cleveland in 1978.

After years of using her photography for educational purposes she established her own studio in 1983, specializing in architectural and urban photography.

In 1983 Jones was selected as one of Cleveland’s most influential women by the New Cleveland Magazine. In 1992, the Cleveland Institute of Art gave her the Burchfield Award for her outstanding contributions to teaching, photography and leadership as a trustee.