Born in 1931, Lee Bontecou was deeply affected by World War II and remembers her mother working in a factory, wiring submarine parts. After studying at a small Boston college, she joined the Art Students League in New York City, working with William Zorach.

Paul Kelpe originally wanted to be a musician, but an exhibition in Germany made him realize that abstract art could be a substitute for music, and he decided to become a painter instead.

Palmer Hayden, born Peyton Cole Hedgeman, began sketching at an early age. He moved to New York in his early twenties to pursue art and studied at several prominent schools, while working odd jobs to support himself.

Judy Mulford grew up in a family of artists, learning to paint and sculpt and developing skills in quilting, weaving, and sewing. In 1971, Judy and her family spent six months in Micronesia and Australia.