Living a Creative Life - Embracing the lifelong journey of art.

Opus Resource Library

Living a Creative Life

Not all of us make a living selling art, but creativity is essential to everything we do.

Creativity can help us navigate the highs and lows of life, constantly bubbling beneath the surface of our thoughts and emotions. So, what can we learn from those who have dedicated their lives to their craft?

Take the 80-year-old poet and painter who reflects back on a lifelong "addiction to art." Or the successful illustrator and muralist who confronts male violence towards women, yet didn't embark on her career until the age of 41. And what about the mixed media creator who not only balances her own work with running a community of artists, but who also grapples with the emotional impact of creating a deeply personal show?

Their stories show that there is no one path in living a creative life. Each of us has a unique relationship with our art and how we share with others.

This month, join us in asking ourselves: are we living the life we want to live?

Is our artistic vision being realised? How can we expand our daily routine to better support our practice?

To guide you through reflecting on and engaging with these questions, we'll be launching lots of fresh content alongside our new social gallery of the month.

First, we're releasing three instalments of our "Living a Creative Life" video series, featuring professional artists from our creative community.

Explore our updated Create Guide, "Your Creative Life Equipment" to find products that we have selected to bolster and improve your studio space.

Lastly, join our community in sharing what "Living a Creative Life" means to you. Share to the #OpusCreativeLife Gallery on Instagram and Facebook, or browse through the gallery on our website.

Living a Creative Life Video Series

To help us explore our theme of "Living a Creative Life," we spoke with artists Sandeep Johal, Jamie Smith, and Pierre Coupey.

Scroll down to watch each of their respective reflections on their creative life: their art practice, social impact, and hopes for the future.

Pierre Coupey

"We don't always know everything about our own work, and maybe that's the way it should be."

Sandeep Johal

"I just want to make art all the time. But as an artist, I need to have a healthy balance between work, home and all of the other aspects of my life."

Jamie Smith

"I feel that creatively, I am pursuing the things I care about. To me, that’s success."

Your Creative Life Equipment

Our picks for supplies and equipment that enable a creative life.

For this iteration of the Create Guide, we've collected two groups of products.

Firstly, our professional level art materials – we'll be including our top-of-the line acrylic and oil paints. These paints are designed to help you create works destined for exhibit or sale.

Our second category includes some of the equipment working behind the scenes: easels, furniture, storage, and other items that keep your creative space working for you.

EXPLORE THE PRODUCT GUIDE

R&F Pigments Oil Sticks from The Collection

Images from Your Creative Life Gallery.

Share Your Creative Life: #OpusCreativeLife

Join the #OpusCreativeLife Gallery and connect with your creative community!

We want to see how you're incorporating creativity into your everyday life.

Whether it's through exploring your creativity, tackling commissions, mentoring and teaching in your community, or any other creative outlet, we want to showcase your unique perspective on what it means to live a creative life.

Show us pictures and videos of you with your artwork, your creative workspaces, your art communities, and your creative colleagues and friends! Then, explore the gallery to see all the unique and exciting ways everyone is living a creative life.

VIEW YOUR CREATIVE LIFE GALLERY