A native Angeleno from a family of professional musicians, Stokes is a classical pianist and choral singer as well as a painter. She studied art at California State University, Northridge, earning a B.F.A. in drawing and design. For more than seven years she has taught a variety of classes at Everywoman's Village in Van Nuys, including four years of mural painting. She also works for local decorators doing interior design and paints commissioned portraits. (Robin K. Dunitz, Street Gallery, Guide to over 1000 Los Angeles Murals)
