Laura Phillips Anderson is born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, the third of eight children to Arthur T. Anderson and Mary Louise Rowland. Her upbringing was in a relatively conservative Midwestern environment, which would later influence her artistic explorations of societal norms and expectations.

Anderson began violin lessons at a young age, laying the foundation for her later musical career. She displayed early artistic talent, experimenting with drawing, sculpture, and other visual arts.

Anderson attended Mills College in Oakland, California, for a short period. This experience exposed her to a more progressive and experimental artistic environment, contrasting with her Midwestern upbringing.

Anderson moved to New York City and enrolled at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she studied art history. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude with a B.A. in Art History. The vibrant art scene of New York City profoundly impacted her artistic development and exposed her to performance art, conceptual art, and other avant-garde movements.

After graduating from Barnard, Anderson continued her studies at Columbia University, earning an M.F.A. in Sculpture. She began experimenting with performance art during this period, combining visual art, music, and spoken word.