Loran Calvin was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. She earned a B.A. in History and Theatre from Macalester College in 1986, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1991. She minored in studio art as an undergraduate and has studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, New York University, The American School in Paris, Joanne Baron/ D.W. Brown Studio and Tom Wudl’s Studio in Los Angeles. Her work has been exhibited at Macalester College, The Brewery, Mendenhall Sobieski Gallery and Space Gallery, StudioEleven, Colburn School, Red Hen and SPARC.