Lori Merhige was born in 1975 in New Jersey, USA. She received her BFA degree in Illustration from NYC's School of Visual Arts in 1999 and went on to enjoy a very minor career in commercial art. In 2001 she took over the ownership of her family business in lace and textile manufacturing. She studied sculpture and metal foundry at Ramapo College of New Jersey, and began to integrate the materials and byproducts of the embroidery industry into her sculptural work. In late 2009 she completed her MFA degree in Sculpture at CUNY Hunter College, graduating Summa Cum Laude and a recipient of the Tony Smith Award.