French was a student of Jean Delville and Fra Newbery at the Glasgow School of Art from 1896 to 1902.
She returned to the Glasgow School to teach ceramic decoration from 1909 to 1912. 

As a member of a group of designers and artists known as the Glasgow Girls, French was best known for black-and-white illustrations in the Art Nouveau style.

French’s work was exhibited at the Royal Academy and published in The Studio.