A native of Charlotte, NC, Katherine McCarty is a graduate of Salem College in Winston- Salem, NC (B.A. in Sociology) and has her Masters of Science in Community Counseling from Georgia State University in Atlanta. A graduate course in art therapy opened up an avenue of expression not previously realized. Katherine then completed the foundation courses in art at Georgia State and painting soon became her own form of therapy. Katherine's mother was a trained artist from whom she inherited easels and supplies, as well as the love of color and painting.

While living near Penland School of Craft in the NC mountains for over 20 years, Katherine enjoyed many art workshops in clay, cold wax and oil, printmaking, abstract painting, and studio painting.  She and her husband recently returned to Charlotte where she has a studio in South End at Dilworth Artisan Station.