Travis Krupka was born in Fort Yates, ND and raised primarily throughout the Dakotas. He is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and of Hunkpapa descent on his mother's side.

Travis was given a full scholarship from his tribe to pursue a BFA from the University of South Dakota in 2001 and was awarded a fellowship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison to attain his MFA in 2004. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.