Professional musician, M.A. Mills College,Hawley began painting after moving from Berkeley to Ukiah in 1970, inspired by the beauty of nature in Mendocinio and Lake Counties. She is a self taught oil painter, has won many awards, hung works in solo and group art shows. Her style is similar to "Magic Realism", as she paints portraits, animals, landscapes, skyscapes, seascapes, florals, and even abstracts. Her palette ranges from subtle to bold, combining "strength and delicacy like the agile grace of an antelope", as a critic once described her music. She also expresses through creative writing. She lives and works from her hillside home above Clearlake, where she cares for animals, gardens and other living things.