Kathleen describes her work as contemporary primitive. Born in Los Angeles and a graduate of California State University at Long Beach, Kathleen has spent all of her 35 year art career in California before moving to Whidbey Island, WA in 2005.

Kathleen works in both fiber & paintings, and pieces that combine the two media. Her finer art paintings may include willow, paper and metal within the composition, layering paint to achieve an ancient-looking surface supporting complex symbolism. This body of work is described by the artist as “contemporary primitive”.

The art is a bridge for the artist and the viewer to connect to the past – to a time when the spiritual journey was the measure of life, when human presence was part of the natural flow of the universe when our spirit and the spirit of nature were in balance – striving to find a sense of harmony that continues to live in our collective unconscious.

For Christmas, 1993, Ms. Otley was invited by the White House and the Smithsonian to create an ornament for the White House Christmas Tree. These ornaments were later put on display in a New York museum and now are a part of the Smithsonian collection of contemporary art.

Kathleen sells her mixed media art work in shows and festivals in the Northwest, as well as exhibiting in fine art galleries nationwide.

She was selected by a national jury of gallery owners, craft promoters, museum curators and fine art & craft professionals to include her biography in the publication “Profiles: Who’s Who in American Crafts”, registered in the Library of Congress.