Derrie Fakhoury Hammad was born in Beirut in 1930, and studied painting at the Fine Arts Academy in Beirut. She traveled to Italy to continue her studies in art at the Accademia di belle arti di Roma. Then she joined the Institute of Medal Art of Rome and she excelled in this area. Inspired by her visits to churches and museums in Italy, she studied the art of wall painting (Fresco) at the Decorative Arts Institute and became proficient in this art.