Raised in Nashville, TN with South Florida roots, Schmidt earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami in 2017 in Art (Photography), Religious Studies (Monotheism) and Marketing (Digital Branding). Following completion, she returned to Nashville working as a high-end retouching specialist for Hudson Yards Studios’ largest client, Victoria’s Secret. She desired to step away from the commercial side of the industry and return to her preferred practice as a creative. Schmidt was awarded a full scholarship and graduate teaching assistantship under the mentorship of J. Tomás Lopez and returned to the University of Miami in the fall of 2018 to begin the three-year intensive MFA program.

During this time, which included the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, her graduate exploration was inspired by her reflection on past traumas as well as loss of her father figures and familial relationships. Upon receiving candidacy, Schmidt extended her work from her Miami-based studio practice outdoors to the great American West during a period of online instructions brought into place by the COVID-19 pandemic. After receiving approval of her master’s thesis, Schmidt graduated with her MFA in the Spring of 2021 and curated her first solo exhibition of her master’s thesis work showcased in the Wynwood Art District, Miami.

Most recently, Schmidt has primarily focused her time as an educator and lecturer for the University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, Fairchild Botanical Garden and privately in Miami. In her free time she maintains a disciplined yoga practice, enjoys being outdoors, travels to make images, watching series and films, and singing and dancing with her two dogs, Maverick and Kodak.