Nationally recognized ceramic artist Irina Okula was born in Wolfen, East Germany during World War II. Her father, along with other engineers and scientists, was brought with his family to West Germany where they lived on an army base until they immigrated to the United States in the late 1940s. Irina received a BA from Fontbonne College and a MFA in Ceramics from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. She has also studied at the Boston Museum School, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and Penland School of Crafts.