"To me, 'original’ means channeling the unique lens through which I see the world into my work. Each of our own unique brains carries our own unique and ORIGINAL associations that contribute to our unique perspective, and I hope to capture that in my paintings, whether it’s emphasizing the shimmering light hitting a flower in a painting or bringing a feeling of ‘emotion’ to a painting of an inanimate still life," says fine artist Katie Peña.

"That being said, we can all still be ‘original’ when appreciating and studying the creations of those who have come before us in history, but this can be a narrow line to tread if not done thoughtfully over time and with broad research."

When asked about the importance of originality, Katie said, "Originality is a value that ranks high in my life, but only for how I personally interact with the world, not so much an expectation I value putting upon those in my immediate sphere or even broadly in society. Humans have evolutionary reasons to strike out on their own and conversely to assimilate with groups, depending on the context of the scenario." 

However, she doesn't seem to enjoy blending in with the crowd or conforming to trends, as it makes her feel like she is giving into the herd mentality.

"For me, I can’t help but cringe at the idea of buying one of those super popular Stanley thermos things. Same with ‘virtue signaling’ I see online. Even when trends align with my interests and values, I feel as though I’m ‘culturally signaling’ that I seek the safety of conformity and lack my own free thought."

Katie's career as a painter started in her teenage years, when she began exploring oil painting and began accepting commissions.

"She continued to expand her passion for visual storytelling during this time by exploring the mediums of film and video. These creative passions led her to attain a degree in Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design in Rhode Island," her website reads. "She is inspired by vibrant color, flora, fauna, mythology and fantasy. She is also driven by explorations into new media and styles, such as fluid resin poured abstract paintings.

Since her work greatly depends on creativity, we were curious to know if she ever struggles with feelings of unoriginality. "Yes and no," she answered. "When I get ‘painters block’, I turn to predecessors whose work I greatly admire, and that can definitely make me feel like “everything original has already been done, what’s left for me?” But seeing the vast variety of styles of art and painting that draw me to them reminds me: options are infinite, all I have to do is dream it, and the human brain is capable of anything!"

Other times she turns away from historical references and tries jumpstarting her creativity by looking at what she calls 'eye candy.'

"Anything that compels me to capture it in a photo, signals to me that there’s something interesting I’m drawn to. It could be flowers in my neighborhood, the scrolling filigree work of the historical houses on my block, the glowing shimmer of light reflecting on a shady creek, or even the humor of a dog 'sitting in an invisible chair’, making direct eye contact while he drops a deuce in front of me, etc. Check out my Cheeky Bathroom Art collection on my Instagram, if you’re curious about that last inspiration," she shares.

The trick Katie uses when she is struggling to produce something unique is researching and educating herself. "Learning new concepts, techniques, and references always seems to jog up new ideas. I’m a huge fan of online course modules from artists I admire on Instagram, but I also use Udemy, Domestika, and LinkedIn Learning," she notes.

An additional trick that she kindly agreed to share came from an art director friend when she worked in Hollywood. "When complaining about painters’ block, and specifically that I couldn’t think of anything “deep to say” as a conceptual statement when planning a painting, he told me to do the very opposite: start a doodle or sketch of absolutely nothing of consequence, just whatever scribble scrabble comes out of your hand. When we force the brain to do a mundane task, it cannot help but push the boundaries and start to imagine beyond those limitations. Our creative human brains are designed to innovate, and sometimes we just need to give them the space to do so," she concludes.