Kathleen Hope grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. Her mother is a watercolorist and her great aunt's abstract works were exhibited with the Smithsonian Institute.

As a child, Kathleen was a tomboy, playing hockey with her father, riding horses and fishing with her grandfather. She also attended art fairs and classes with her mother.

Her first attempt as an artist was through music in her teenage years. She played guitar, drums and sang with a traveling group.

After receiving a BA in physical education and nutrition, she next tried bodybuilding and taught the college football team weight training (you can imagine how that went over). Never afraid to try anything and always adventuresome, she was searching for her artistic path.