Born in Richmond, Surrey, Waters studied at Heatherley's and Chelsea School of Art and at the Grosvenor School under McNab. She then spent five years in Newlyn at the Harvey&Proctor School in Newlyn from 1926 to 1931. She worked under Proctor as an apprentice and learned a great deal from him. She exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1928, showing annually thereafter. She also exhibited at the Royal Institute, the New English Art Club and the Society of Women Artists. She held her first solo exhibition at the Leicester Galleries in 1933. She travelled frequently to France, Spain and Italy. She briefly experimented with abstract painting after meeting Ben Nicholson but is known for her stylish still life and landscape paintings.