Stokes graduated from the Edinburgh College of Art in 1996 and completed her MA in European Fine Art, Winchester School of Art in Barcelona in 1998.
''Sometimes I will paint and assemble natural found objects inside discarded vintage sweet and tobacco tins to create miniature scenes. I like the fact that these tins have a history, they bear the marks of years of handling and have a sense of nostalgia about them. In a practical sense they are also useful framing devices and containers in which I can create small worlds or museums. The most recent pieces explore mankind's relationship with the natural landscape. The paintings are based on archive photographs of explorers and mountain climbers captured in a moment; often battling against the harshness and momentous power of nature'' J. Stokes.
Stokes exhibits widely in the UK and her works are enjoyed in private and public collections, including: Grizedale Art collection, BBC Your Paintings, Aberdeen Asset Management; Edinburgh College of Art Collection.