She works entirely outdoors, sitting on the ground with her canvas for full days from 9:00 am to dusk. First, she walks the site for several days or weeks without any preparatory sketches. Then she chooses her subject and begins painting in oil after making an underdrawing in pencil. Erika has a BA in Fine Arts and went to Parsons School of Design for Interior Decoration, and has a Masters in Landscape Architecture. She works in Dallas and Austin, and currently is doing a series on the Trinity River near Corinth Street Bridge in Dallas.