Brenda was born in London, Ontario, Canada and earned a Music Education degree from Acadia University in Nova Scotia. In the years following graduation Brenda relocated to NYC and Greenwich, CT. While teaching music in Greenwich CT Brenda shifted her focus from music to visual art.

"In first grade, I recall excelling at coloring and later inventing cards for friends that turned into humorous books. I even had an art detention which I recall as quite devastating but also rather pleasant! While I studied classical piano and voice for many years, art seemed to be the more natural way to express myself creatively."

Brenda studied drawing, painting and collage for three years at Silvermine School of Art and graphic design at NCC. While Brenda stayed home to raise three daughters, she continued to work on her paintings. Her illustrations were published in the monthly publication of Mothers at Home magazine and commissions included a series of nine paintings depicting a year throughout Second Grade. She received art awards in two local shows which was a welcome surprise.

In 2004, Brenda received a Masters of Arts in Teaching. With a passion for children's literature (especially with noteworthy illustrations) Brenda began teaching Second Grade in Norwalk. She was known as the creative teacher who loved to teach reading and writing, encouraging her students to publish their own stories.

In 2008, Brenda began oil painting for the first time after a long recess from her own art work. More recently, she has rediscovered her interest in children's illustration and cartooning. In 2011 she launched her cartoon blog, brenjacobsentoons. She continues to find inspiration for her art by drawing on her memory, faith, reading and observing the world around her. Brenda lives with her family in Darien, Connecticut.