Katherine Ann Hartley began her artistic studies at Scottsdale Community College in Scottsdale, Arizona. She then studied with John Court in Arizona and Portugal. Solitude, along with Court's instruction, allowed Hartley to focus on, and begin to understand the abstract qualities of light and shadow.

At the recommendation of Court, she moved to New York City to study with David Leffel at the Art Students League, and at his studio. Hartley's paintings are not attempts at exact renderings of the elements before her. With the use of obvious brush strokes and exposing the delicate under painting, she purposefully stops short of photo-realism.

Her paintings depict familiar objects and are intended to remind us of t...