Gemma Pearce was born in Dorset and spent her childhood on the Isle of Purbeck. From a family of artists, she became a student at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art & Design.  She then took a BA (Hons) degree in illustration from Bath University, and has come to painting by this route. Since 2000 she has been living in Mousehole. With her friend the jeweller, Leigh BERRY, she was a partner in the running of the Seastar Gallery in Mousehole. Through the gallery, now the Julia Mills Gallery, much work of local artists can be viewed on a regular basis.