Born in Hawera, Taranaki, Aotearoa in 1939, Jenny Hunt moved to Christchurch with her family in 1962. She began weaving a year later and participated in her first group exhibition in 1965, Weaving in NZ, Otago Museum. In 1970 she initiated and participated in the first weaving exhibition in the CSA Gallery, Christchurch.
In 1972 Hunt’s work was included in the NZ Crafts – touring exhibition to Seoul, Japan and Canada, and later that year, in the World Crafts Council Exhibition in Florence. In 1973 she became a member of ‘The Group’ of Christchurch, exhibiting with them at the CSA. Some of the other artists included in ‘The Group’ exhibition were Phil Clairmont, Tony Fomison, Ralph Hotere, Marté Szirmay, Rudi Gopas, Toss Woollaston, and Colin McCahon. That year, Hunt also participated in the Christchurch Arts Festival National Weaving exhibition, Robert McDougal Art Gallery, Christchurch; and an exhibition of hand-woven rugs, New Vision Gallery Auckland.
After moving to Wellington in 1972, Hunt exhibited in various galleries, including the Dowse Art Gallery, Govett-Brewster Gallery, Wellington City and Auckland City Art Galleries. In 1975, she became Joint Winner (with Morgan Jones) of the Hansells Sculpture Award. Hunt moved to Auckland in 1982, in that year completing four major art commissions – 3 wall hangings for Wool House, Wellington, Rostrum Surround for the new Church of Christ Scientist, Wellington, and wall hangings for AMP, Wellington and I.C.I. House, Auckland.
Studying at Elam School of Fine Art, University of Auckland from 1984-87, Hunt graduated with a BFA in 1988. In 1994, she became Gallery Co-ordinator at the Titirangi Community Arts Council Gallery, Lopdell House, Auckland and from 1995-2005 she was Editor of InTouch Magazine.
In 2016, at the age of 77, Hunt moved to Otaki Beach, where she has continued to create. From 2017-2024, she experimented with small wall sculptures using cloth and acrylic medium over cardboard forms. Also working on a series, Always in my Mind, Hunt recycled discarded and damaged Art History books she found smouldering in dark corners of garages or taken from rubbish skips on the side of the road.
Hunts work can be found in collections including, Te Papa Museum, Wellington; Auckland War Memorial Museum; Robert McDougall Gallery Christchurch; Dunedin Art Gallery; Southland Museum; Bishop Suter Gallery, Nelson; and in Auckland at John Weeks Collection, Auckland University, Foresight Collection, James Wallis Collection and Warwick Browne Collection, Auckland.