Yvonne was born in Scotland and grew up in a small village in Stirlingshire. She spent most of her young adult life in Glasgow before moving to Edmonton in 1990. She worked as a documentary filmmaker for years, before gradually dedicating more and more time to her visual art practice which is now her sole focus. She studied photography at the Glasgow College of Building and Printing, drawing and painting at Glasgow School of Art, and fine art at the University of Alberta. She is an active member of the SSA, ASA, CARFAC Alberta and Harcourt House Artist Run Centre where she maintains her studio practice.