This book answers questions that every crafter ponders: What is creativity anyway? Where do ideas come from? How do successful artists get started? How do you know when a piece is finished? Creativity is different for everyone, and Living the Creative Life offers a wide range of insights from 15 well-known and admired full-time artists, including: Linda Woods (art journaler and author of Visual Chronicles and the forthcoming Journal Revolution), Michael DeMeng (mixed-media assemblage artist and author of the Secrets of Rusty Things), Melissa Zink (New Mexican mixed-media artist and bronze sculptor), James Michael Starr (collage and assemblage artist), Scott Radke (puppet maker) and many others. Colorful and engaging artwork fills the pages alongside the chronicles of artistic awakenings, creative techniques, inspired strategies, unique ways of thinking, and high-energy brainstorms you would learn from at retreat workshops and buy work from online. Full of been-there, can-sympathize-with-that, have-you-thought-about-trying-this stories and insights, The Creative Life will appeal to artists of all mediums and skill levels.