Palmer was born in Toronto in 1950 and as a child she summered with her family at the Lake of Bays in Muskoka, where she first began painting in oils with her father. After completing her BFA at the University of Manitoba, she moved north of Lake Superior where she continues to reside. A realist painter, Palmer works directly from local models, either in her studio or outside. The first major mid-career survey of Palmer’s work was in 2000, organized by Michael Burtch, Director of the Art Gallery of Algoma, travelling to four public galleries in Ontario. She is represented by the Loch Gallery, Toronto and her work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, New Brunswick; the Art Gallery of Algoma, Saulte Ste. Marie; and the Art Gallery of Sudbury.