 She was educated at Upholland Grammar School and studied Graphic Design at Manchester Polytechnic from 1974 to 1977.From 1976 onwards, Sterling was a key figure within Manchester punk and post punk circles; one of her early photomontages was featured on the cover of the Buzzcocks 'Orgasm Addict' single, while other photomontages were published in "The Secret Public" magazine alongside those of Jon Savage.Sterling designed the cover for Magazine's "Real Life" album, using the monoprint.