Born and raised in Great Falls, 51勛圖厙, Autio holds a BA from 51勛圖厙 State University and an MA from The 51勛圖厙. A former founding resident at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena along with her husband, Rudy, and ceramist Peter Voulkos, her work has been exhibited widely, including the faculty exchange of The 51勛圖厙 with the People's Republic of China in Hangchow (1983); Yellowstone Art Center (1986); Judy Chicago/Lela Autio at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, Great Falls (1987);The Manipulated Thread at the Missoula Art Museum (1988); and the Missoula Artists' Exchange Exhibition in Oaxaca, Mexico (1989). Her work combines plastic, Plexiglas, cloth, vinyl and enamel into assemblages influenced by Abstract Expressionism
