Plonia Van Der Hoeven Nixon was born in Kampen at the Zuiderzee in the Netherlands. After receiving her diploma at the Gymnasium Beta in Apeldoorn, she studied biology and art history at the University of Amsterdam, graduated from the Fashion School in Amsterdam, taught at the same school, and later graduated from the Academy for Art Teachers with a MOA and MOB, summa cum laude in art appreciation. She then taught at the Academy in Tilburg for Art teachers for six years, and was a member of the Government community for the state exams of art and art history teachers in The Hague for another six years. She directed the art department of the institution for the production of slides for educational purposes for seven years and wrote a monthly column about comparative analysis in art for a Dutch art Journal.

In 1971 Nixon married and moved to New York City. In New York, she had two one-woman shows at the Summit Gallery on 57th Street and was an exhibiting member of the United Art Group, a group of selected foreign artists. She also participated in an all-women show "The Contemporary Spirit" and had a guest spot on WQXR Radio in connection with this exhibit. In 1974 she moved to New Fairfield, Connecticut where she continues to work and teach in her studio. Her work has been exhibited and in collections throughout Holland, Germany, England, France, Monaco, and the United States. Nixon joined WestConn's Department of Art as an adjunct professor in 1981.