Abby Paffrath, was born and raised in Breckenridge Colorado. As a true mountain girl the outdoors have always been a huge part of her life. She has been skiing as long as she can remember, she grew up riding horses on her family's ranch, she is an avid flyfisher woman and loves guiding friends down the river in her drift boat. Her experiences with these sports have long influenced her work as an artist. Staying true to her mountain heritage, Abby chose to attend the University of Montana, in Missoula where she earned a bachelor's degree in fine art in 2003. During her sophomore year, Abby enrolled in a program that took her to Bali, Indonesia, where she studied the countries art and culture. She immediately fell in love with the beauty and brightness of batik and began training in the centuries old process with a skilled, local artist.