Paula McCartney is best known for photographs and artists' books that explore the idea of constructed landscapes and the way people interact with and manipulate the natural world. She recently added ceramics to her list of media. McCartney grew up in Kansas City, received a Certificate in Photography from the International Center of Photography in 1996 and a BFA in Photography from Empire State College in 1998, both located in New York City. In 2002 she obtained an MFA in Photography from the San Francisco Art Institute, after which she moved to Minneapolis, where she teaches at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

McCartney’s books and photographs have been widely exhibited and collected by museums and libraries throughout the United States including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; Brooklyn Museum; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. She has received fellowships from the Aaron Siskind Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Women’s Studio Workshop, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.