Deaf from an early age, she overcame significant challenges to earn an education unusual for a woman at the time and build a career based on her artistic talent.

[3] As a child Wise was primarily taught by her mother, but attended a hearing kindergarten to learn drawing and manners, where her artistic ability was made clear.

[3] When Wise decided she wanted to pursue sculpture as a profession, her family assisted her in learning the technical skills necessary to study at the Royal College of Art; her father taught artistic perspective, her mother developed studies in anatomical art, and her younger brother collaborated with her in geometric drawing.

[3] Her first exhibit at the academy was a large panel sculpture titled The Wings of the Morning, featuring the Greek goddess Demeter; when the purchaser arranged for the piece to be delivered, he was surprised that the sculptor was a woman.

[5] While she was waiting for large marble blocks to be available, she created smaller sculptures which were sold to dignitaries such as Queen Alexandra and Princess Victoria.