Popovich-Kutscher, Joan

Misdiagnosed in infancy as mentally retarded and placed in a state hospital for the developmentally disabled at age 3 1/2, where she remained until nearly age 9. When her deafness was finally recognized, she entered the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, where she caught up with her deaf peers, received art training, and graduated. Studied art at Riverside City College, then earned a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts. Earned dual MA and MFA degrees from California State University, Fullerton, in 1987.