Baker has a background in studio art and graphic design, and graduated from Marygrove College of Detroit (1986) with a B.A in Fine Art. She was introduced to collage 1981 while a student at University of Detroit-Mercy. Romare Bearden laid a foundation for storytelling through use of collage and is an inspiration for Baker who uses narrative storytelling to give a voice to some of those silent faces found in the early 20th century photographs she collects and incorporates into her work. Baker’s work can be found in many private collections across the country.