Born and raised in Indiana, Phyllis has an appreciation for hard work and community. Her childhood was lived out in a farming community with family and friends who did not change much from year to year. With that stability, she attended college in a nearby town and received a B.S. degree in art education from Manchester College, North Manchester, Indiana. Three college summers took her away from Indiana to Interlochen Arts Academy, in Interlochen, Michigan, where she was first a student, then an assistant and finally an instructor of pottery.

She stayed in Manchester, Indiana after graduation, accepting a position as High School Art Instructor. Things changed drastically when she met and married her husband, Carl. As mid-career missionaries with Campus Crusade for Christ, they moved to San Bernardino, CA and then to Nairobi, Kenya which changed not only her life, but also her outlook on the world. She resided in Kenya with her husband and two children for 18 years and learned to love a culture without clocks, but a culture that had deep personal relationships and diverse nationalities.

Returning to the States in 1997 brought another adjustment of living again in her country of birth—a very fast-paced society filled up with things and activities. Perhaps that is the reason her artwork often reflects the earthiness of Africa and displays the minimal, contemplative nature of quietness. Presently, she is coordinating a new ministry focus of Campus Crusade for Christ that serves as a catalyst for cultural renewal by helping creative professionals find, embrace and express their identities in Christ. She resides in Orlando, Florida with her husband of 35 years, Carl. They have two grown children, Michelle and Matthew who also reside in Orlando.