Ames née Goodwin was born on November 6, 1903, in Santa Ana, California.

In 1941 she married fellow artist Arthur Forbes Ames.

[2][3] Before their marriage the couple collaborated on several WPA murals including the sketches for History of Aviation at the Charles Lindbergh Middle School in Long Beach, California,[4] two mosaic murals Three Women Gathering at the Sea Shore at Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California,[5] and three egg tempera murals Recreation, Agriculture, and Conservation at the San Diego County Administration Center.

[6] Ames taught at Scripps College and Claremont Graduate University.

[1] Papers of Arthur and Jean Ames, including examples and photographs are in the Online Archive of California.