Gail Hefti was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and now resides 30 miles outside of the city in an old Victorian farmhouse just below Hartford. She received her BFA, MA in Metalsmithing and K-12 certification, all from UW-Milwaukee. She has been a working metalsmith for forty years, taught Metalsmithing at Milwaukee Area Technical College and is a retired Art Teacher from the public school system. Working primarily in silver and semi-precious stones, she has had her work in many shops, galleries, and art shows primarily throughout the state.