Her creations are both sculptural and utilitarian. She sources her materials in Point Reyes – driftwood, rope, kelp, roots – along the Point Reyes National Seashore. She teaches classes, participates in group shows, and opens her studio to the public twice a year. Prairie developed a curiosity about the natural world as a child growing up in Minnesota. She moved to the Bay Area in 1966 to attend the University of California, Berkeley. She has a background in Slavic languages and literature and early childhood education. In 2022, her baskets were a part of a group exhibition, Kelp!.