Mercedes was born in Decatur, Alabama and lived the majority of her life in Moulton. During the summers she would visit her mother's side of the family in Okinawa, Japan. Many of her hobbies and interests developed while there. In 2010 she moved to Nashville to obtain her bachelor's degree and returned in 2012 to Alabama to work freelance to be with her family and current husband. She has had solo exhibits featuring her illustrations and animations at the Carnegie Visual Arts Center and the Lawrence County Arts Council.