Jacques Regat’s career began in France where he taught himself to paint and carve in clay, wood and stone. He learned about metalwork, tool and die making, graduating from the College d' Enseignement Technique DeVitry. In Alaska while sharing his talent at the Native Welcome Center he developed a strong kinship and respect for the cultural myths and history of its people. This became an inspirational theme reflected in many of the Regat’s works. He graduated cum laude from the University of Alaska in Anchorage, with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and an Anthropology minor. Mary Regat, primarily a self-taught artist, began sculpting while living in a remote logging camp on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska. After moving to Anchorage, she began sculpting in stone. Jacques and Mary met and married, and they began combining their talents to create pieces which extended beyond what each could do alone. "Sculpting together is like having a whole set of new tools to work with," said Mary. Together they have studied art at the University of Alaska, Mayan Toltec art in Central and South America and European art in France.