Jessica Burke was born in Wichita, Kansas. She grew up on a steady diet of Saturday morning cartoons and sugary cereals. She has been lucky enough to live and work all over the country and abroad. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Oklahoma State University and her Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of North Carolina. Currently she maintains a small, but productive studio studio in Salem, Oregon and is a member of the art department faculty at Western Oregon University.