in 1962, the year she graduated from art school, steir was included in a group show at the high museum of art in atlanta, georgia. in 1964, her work was in a show called “drawings” at the museum of modern art in new york. her first one-person exhibition was at the terry dintenfass gallery, new york, in 1964. during that time, she worked in new york as an illustrator and a book designer (1962–1966). between 1966–1969, steir was an art director at harper & row publishing company, new york. around 1970 she became friends with sol lewitt, lawrence weiner, and other conceptual artists, and she made the first of many trips to new mexico to visit agnes martin.