Katherine Bates studied art as a child in Kentucky but turned to other pursuits for many years until her son, then a toddler, asked her to paint with him. That reopened a world of color and form that has enchanted her for nearly 20 years. She began painting exclusively in watercolor in the early 1990s. After taking several courses sponsored by the Ridgewood Community School, Ms. Bates enrolled in watercolor classes taught by Joel Popadics at the Ridgewood Art Institute. His prismatic palette and his emphasis on painting accurate light effects have helped mold her style.

She serves on the Board of the Ridgewood Art Institute and is also an Associate of the New Jersey Watercolor Society and of the Garden State Watercolor Society.  

Her paintings, many of which are in private collections, have been accepted to the following juried shows:

- Ridgewood Art Institute's 15th Annual Regional Open Juried Show, Ridgewood, NJ--1995 

- Garden State Watercolor Associates Juried Show, Lawrenceville, NJ--2005

- Ridgewood Art Institute's 26th Annual Regional Open Juried Show, Ridgewood, NJ--2006

- Woodstock School of Art Regional Exhibition, Woodstock, NY--2006

- 27th Annual Mountain Art Show, Bernardsville, NJ--2006

- Ridgewood Art Institute's 27th Annual Regional Open Juried Show, Ridgewood, NJ--2007

- Smithtown Township Arts Council Juried Watercolor Exhibition, St. James, NY--2007

- Ridgewood Art Institute's 28th Annual Regional Open Juried Show, Ridgewood, NJ--2008

-New Jersey Watercolor Society Associate Members Juried Show--2008 (Award of Excellence)

She has also participated in two-artist shows at:

Kurth Cottage Gallery, The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ--May 2005, April 2008 

Ridgewood Public Library, Ridgewood, NJ--December 2005