In her early childhood, Kathleen moved to Queensland with her father, brother and sister. At the age of ten, Kathleen returned to Central Australia with them to move back to 'Country' to live with their mother at Hermannsburg. Kathleen has more recently lived with her husband and two sons on his traditional land, Iwupataka, west of Alice Springs.

Kathleen began painting in 1995 along with her sister, Julie-Anne Paige, who is a prominent artist in her own right. Kathleen paints Bush Tucker and Children's Stories which reflect her own happy childhood growing up with her family out bush. Kathleen is recognized not only as a prominent painter, but also in other art mediums. Kathleen is the designer and creator of a popular range of Aboriginal jewelry incorporating natural seeds in modern contemporary settings.