PROFILE

My name is Katie O’Pella and I am an Austin-based writer, author, and illustrator with a major in Studio Art and a minor in Creative Writing. I love to create original stories and poems for children and young adults. I have a lifelong love of books, and a passion for art.

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My journey with art and narrative storytelling began with the picture books my parents read to me. As they read, visions of new worlds came to life through interesting characters and exciting adventures. I discovered that storytellers control the narrative. Before I knew how to read or write, I created my own short stories and ask my mom to write captions for my illustrations. Writing short stories became a passion of mine and I frequently wrote new books during my free time. My interest in storytelling through pictures grew when I discovered graphic novels and manga books. I also fell in love with the art of poetry. The rhythmic sounds and lyrical words inspired me to use the power of words to express ideas in playful or sophisticated ways. I like to challenge the reader to expand their creativity and reflect on thought-provoking ideas. My writing and illustrations bring to life anything my imagination creates. 

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As an artist, I work with graphite to draw elements and human proportions which have a style that is not quite realistic, yet not quite abstract. Fantasy mixed with realism is apparent in much of my artworks. Part of my style has been described as “reality seen through the prism of fantasy.” I imagine the subject of my art in any space or environment. I am drawn to themes of nature such as flowers or animals. Though, I also gravitate toward creating something dark and supernatural. Adding symbolism is something I like to incorporate to get a message across to the viewer because my art is my language and I want to communicate my ideas through my work and also evoke feelings/emotion.

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When I am not working on themes of fantasy, I draw and paint animal portraits. My art is stylized and most of my work is in graphite. However, I also use color pencils and paint with acrylic and watercolor. Before starting any work, I plan ahead and draw rough sketches. When I paint, every mark and brushstroke is intentional and controlled. When I draw or paint to evoke a feeling, I want the viewer to feel a sense of urgency, uncomfortableness, and sometimes love. I also like to create art that makes the viewer see things from a new perspective. My inspiration stems from themes of mythology, dystopian worlds, loss, fantasy, nature, and love.