Marian Denipah was born in Tucson, Arizona. With a father from the Navajo Nation and a mother from the San Juan Pueblo, Marian grew up sharing both cultures. While attending high school, she became interested in painting portraits. After high school, Marian moved to Santa Fe and later met Steve through mutual interests at American Indian events. While in Santa Fe, she attended the Institute of American Indian Arts and studied painting, photography, modern dance and ballet. She received her degree in Fine Arts from Northern Arizona University. While her training and expertise is in the style of the old European Masters, today she is more experimental and contemporary.