Terrie’s childhood was a world of color, design and detail as she immersed herself in kindergarten art projects for days, long after the other children lost interest. Although her IBM executive family who had no artistic talent, they carefully nurtured hers. Her first framed pieces progressed from a big box of Crayolas to paint-by-number kits and graduated to psychedelic paints, where she painted a neon replica of the large snail from the movie 'Dr. Doolittle'.

Self-taught up to that point, Terrie chose Oregon’s Portland State University to further her education. Winning first place in a collegiate design contest to redesign all signage for the Portland Zoo, she was awarded a trip to New York City. Terrie graduated with B.S. in Art, with a focus in Design.

Although Terrie was enamored with the big apple, she preferred a more moderate pace. She spent four years as an Art Director in the Midwest before moving to San Francisco to work under the world-renowned designer, Michael Vanderbyl.

Three years later, she established her own design firm in the San Francisco Bay Area and later moved to Minneapolis with her husband, where they still reside.