Originally from Washington DC, Mali had a paintbrush in her hand at a very early age and spent most of her early life experimenting with different mediums and styles. At age 14, while at a Phish show with her father, she became fascinated with body painting and began using people as a 3D canvas for her art. She was given many opportunities to develop her craft over the next few years as she accompanied her melophile father to festivals and shows. When she was 15, her mother moved to Kauai, Hawaii. Spending time there became a major influence on Mali’s art and she still goes there to work often out of her at-home studio.