Kay grew up in Texas, Iowa, and New Jersey, with parents who encouraged her love of art-making from a young age. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from the University of Iowa, and has enjoyed a career as an illustrator and graphic artist, working for private businesses, non-profits, publishers, and state and local governments. For a few years, she also worked as a decorative painter and muralist in homes and businesses. She has lived in Iowa most of her life and raised two daughters here. Kay’s art may be seen in the permanent collections at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and at the Iowa City Public Library, where it can be borrowed by patrons with a library card.