Kathleen McCabe is a native of Coronado, the daughter of a naval officer and one of nine children. She attended Sacred Heart School and Coronado High School, and later raised her children in Coronado.
After completing her art degree in Applied Design (emphasis in textiles) from San Diego State University, she served on the Board of Directors for Quilt Visions, as regional representative for Studio Art Quilt Associates, and is the founding member of Paradise Textile Artists in San Diego. In addition to creating art herself, Kathleen serves as a curator and juror for exhibits of other artists' work as well.

Kathleen interprets people, places, natural elements and life situations through images, rendered in cloth. She is especially fond of cloth portraits, many of them include family members, and occasionally by commission.
Her unique fiber work has been described as painting with fabric, drawing with thread, and creating with cloth; her techniques include painting, applique, fabric collage, and mixed media. Her style has been compared to that of Chuck Close, referring to the “bricks” of fabric she often uses to construct her images.
“I am completely comfortable with my scissors; combine that with my sewing machine and the work takes on a life of its own. I become lost in the process.”
Kathleen learned to sew in fifth grade and has been creating with cloth ever since. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and is published in numerous books and magazines, and is included in public and private collections.