Kaleta Doolin was born in Dallas, Texas. She received her BFA in Fine Arts from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 1983 and her MFA in Sculpture from SMU in 1987.

Doolin is a feminist artist known for her interdisciplinary application of industrial materials and found objects. In the foreword to Doolin’s forthcoming book, Jessica Morgan, director of the Dia Art Foundation, writes, “Delighting in the act of transformation, in Doolin’s hands hard becomes pliable; solid becomes porous; and delicate becomes durable.”

The artist’s work has been exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum, the Center for Book Arts, New York, the Sculpture Center, New York, the Vizivàrosi Gallery in Budapest, Hungary, the Meadows Museum and The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, both in Dallas.

Her work can be found in collections at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England and the Museé de l’Erotisme, Paris, France. 

Doolin is known internationally known for her cultural engagement with the community, which she has always seen as social practice that connects deeply to her studio practice. In addition to her ongoing work as an artist, Doolin was co-director of the 5501 Columbia Art Center from 1992 to 2001 and was the co-founder of the Texas African American Photography Archives.