Olive Cook was born in Cambridge. She attended the Perse School for Girls and went on to read Modern languages at The University of Cambridge. On Completion of her degree she spent some time studying art under Cedric Morris at The East Anglian School of Painting.

Her works have been shown at many exhibitions including The London Group, The Women's International Art Club, Leicester Galleries, Arcade Gallery, Ferens Art Gallery, Fry Gallery and the Nuffield Foundation currently hold many of her works.

She was also a prizewinner in an Italian Government Painting Competition and in 1954 several of her works were acquired for the Pilgrim Trust's Recording Britain Project.

She was married to the artist and photographer Edwin Smith. Apart from a short spell of living in London she worked from her studio at the Coach House in Saffron Walden.