Kristy was born and raised in Ham Lake, Minnesota, as the youngest of six. From an early age, she was captivated by all forms of art. She began working with ceramics in her sophomore year of high school and never stopped. While majoring in studio art with a focus in painting at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, she accepted a dream job at Deneen Pottery in St. Paul before completing her degree.

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After two years of learning the art of production pottery, Kristy moved to Albuquerque for a more creative opportunity—and warmer weather. She now works as a studio assistant and instructor at Creativity Warehouse, which has allowed her to focus more deeply on developing her own artistic style. Having a painting background, she is especially drawn to combining both mediums by hand-painting illustrations with underglaze onto her pottery.