Born in Rochester, New York, Sarah Grant-Hutchison grew up in Ames, Iowa. Schooled for three years at Colorado State University, she went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing and intaglio printmaking in 1976, a Master of Arts degree in intaglio printmaking in 1978, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting in 1980, all from the University of Iowa. She has been an adjunct professor at Iowa State University in Ames, and has taught at a variety of venues including the Des Moines Public School system, the Iowa Arts Council Artist in Residency Program (1984-1989), and the Des Moines Art Center (1980-1989). She is the founder and owner of Sticks, Inc (from 1985-present), an object art and furniture business located in Des Moines, Iowa, for which Grant-Hutchison serves as chief designer. Her paintings are in corporate and private collections. Her honors and commissions include being named a Louis Comfort Tiffany Grant nominee finalist; a Visiting Artist Residency for the Iowa Arts Council; a Kirkwood Hotel Mural Commission; and the Jerome Foundation Invitational Grant.