I grew up in Austin, Minnesota. My dad was a plant supervisor and artist, and my mom was an elementary teacher and principal. I attended Carleton College, earning a B.A. degree in psychology. I served in the Peace Corps and then worked in lots of jobs, from picking apples to temping at a stock brokerage. Eventually I returned to school to get a B.S. degree in technical illustration at Bemidji State University. I moved to Duluth, Minnesota and worked in advertising design and then as art director for Pfeifer-Hamilton Publishers.