Dawn Alene Phelps was born April 12, 1958, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The youngest of five children of Harold and Robyn Phelps she became known at an early age for her vivid imagination and remarkable creativity. Dawn was a self-described artist who's art education began with an art class in high school which she signed on for when she realized (upon hearing a recording of herself singing) that she would not have a future in music. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Art from the University of Oregon in 1982 and later a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. She was, at various times in her career, a waitress, a seamstress, a graphic artist, a tutor, a school teacher and a visual artist. She was a painter who most recently worked for McMenamins, painting hanging art, furniture and murals.