Born Sybil Aaron in Dora, Alabama, she is regarded as an Outsider Artist. Despite being the daughter of a successful coalmine operator, she spent the vast majority of her life in poverty. Sybil studied at Jacksonville State Teachers College, earning a B.S. in elementary education and eventually became an elementary school teacher. She moved from Alabama to Florida in the 1940s. Sybil did not lead a happy life. It is evident that her marriage failed not once, but twice and she left her only daughter to be raised by her parents.

She was struck with the urge to create at the age of 50. With no training and no previous inclination toward painting, she started with the materials at hand; grocery bags a...