Grown up in a village in Bavaria (Germany), Ulla Schirmbeck initially studied Cultural Anthropology in Berlin, driven by her lifelong interest in other cultures. Her growing focus on art led her to study Visual Communication at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague (Netherlands), where she also developed her painting style. Since 2002, her work has been exhibited across Europe and the Americas. She has participated in Artist-in-Residence programs and given workshops and lectures, especially in Spanish-speaking countries like the Dominican Republic, Cuba, El Salvador, Argentina, and Peru.