From 1979 to 1982, Birgit Mattes attended the sculpture class of Professor K.H. Türk at the "Free Art School" (Freien Kunstschule) in Nürtingen. Then from 1984 to 1985, she attended the sculpture class of Professor H. Baumann at the "State Academy of Fine Arts" (Staatlichen Akademie der Bildenden Künste) in Stuttgart. Since 1987, she has been working as a freelance artist.