Raised on a wheat farm in Romania, Alexa Kelemen learned early to appreciate the dramatic color changes evoked by the changing seasons.

At the age of six, she was given a set of pastels and an elaborate sketching pad by her mother, and set out each day during her lunch hour to sketch a different aspect of their farm. Her talent flourished, and her intrinsic knowledge of light sources and color subtleties distinguished her from other art students throughout her adolescence.

Kelemen began her formal art education at the Institute of Art in Constanta, Romania, where she graduated with highest honors in 1965. The culmination of her studies came when three separate local galleries agreed to represent Kelemen's work in annual one-person shows. Kelemen quickly built her reputation throughout Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria, where numerous exhibitions of her work were held. In 1983, she continued her training at the School of Popular Art, Romania.