Therese grew up at the Santa Teresa Mission, South East of Alice Springs, living in a dormitory and being cared for by Catholic nuns. The girls were taught cooking, sewing and house cleaning. Drawing lessons were given once a week at school.

There are references to a number of staff at the mission encouraging drawing and painting - Sister Therese Marie, Sister Anastasia, Dr Ethel Robertson and Mr. Sawjack. These were strong influences in the development of the landscape painting. It is interesting to note from text that the immerging artists from Santa Teresa were only partially aware of Albert Namatjira and his fame as a watercolourist landscape painter. Therese, Kathleen Wallace, Gabriella Wallace and others entered work in the Alice Spring Show often winning prizes.

Therese moved to Alice Springs and painted ever since in both landscape style and the more traditional dot style, interpreting bush foods.