Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Miller Opie. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Miller, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

My adult life has been made up of risk taking. Sometimes the risks were calculated and sometimes not, and I don’t regret any of them. Even if sometimes things didn’t work out as I had hoped, I am grateful for the experiences and adventures I’ve had.

I grew up in a family of makers: my mother was an artist my dad could build anything, and my sister became a carpenter. Our parents were of the “you can do anything you set your mind to” ethos and my sister and I felt safe that if our risks failed, we would be able to rebound safely.

I attended the Rhode Island School of Design and received a BFA in Jewelry and Light Metals. After graduation, I ran my own jewelry company, designing and making things to sell around the country and the world. Every day, I was the designer, production department, marketing department, and accountant- I had to do it all, and if I didn’t, it would all fall apart. After 5 years of working for myself, I realized that I needed a change. And I wanted to work for Martha Stewart. This was the late 1990’s and the company’s reputation as a nurturing place for artists was amazing. So, in a series of lucky moments and calculated actions, my husband and I moved to the NYC area. I got a job at MSLO, which was perhaps my first big risk.

My job (along with a small team of other makers and artists) was to come up with craft projects and teach Martha how to do them before the cameras started rolling for her daytime TV show. It was stressful, crazy, and wonderful! I was being paid to make goofy craft projects? For a TV show? My parents couldn’t believe it.

After a year or so, Martha moved me to the catalogue to create craft kits. This began my true retail design education- lessons that took me far and I still rely on in my art practice now. I learned how to design all kinds of home products: tabletop, bedding, holiday, lighting, storage and more. I traveled to Europe to factories to see how these products were made.

And then I moved on. My next big risk was to commit to the home fashions design world. For 20+ years, I designed and then lead teams of designers to create products for new and existing brands. We moved to San Francisco, then Chicago, and then back to the East Coast to Connecticut. All of these jobs took me around the world to places I never thought I’d go, to see our designs being manufactured.

While I was working for these brands, I always had time to make things for myself: functional things for my home and basically easy projects just for fun. About 14 years ago, I had a health situation that stopped me from making. I had to spend my time in hospitals and doctors’ offices. After a couple years of not making anything, I woke up and realized I HAD to make art. I had to make nonfunctional objects just for me; not to sell or for anyone else, but something for my soul.

As my medical issues concluded, I found a new job and we moved. I focused on the new job and not art. But when this new job ended in rounds of layoffs a few years later, I was ready to take another big risk. I was ready to be an artist.

Miller, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As I mentioned, my art practice is inspired by a medical journey. I found out I had benign tumors in my jaw, and if I didn’t do something, I would lose my mandible. So, I underwent 3 ½ years of surgeries and procedures to rebuild my jaw. When I realized I HAD to make art, I also knew I needed a space to do it, and I knew I couldn’t make art at the kitchen table. So, I found a small studio. I moved all my tools in and brought along my treasures: shells and bones that I had spent my life collecting. Then I started cutting them up and putting them back together. I had no idea at the time, but basically, I was working through what the surgeons had done to me. I was healing through making.

I have had a life-long passion and obsession for collecting bones, shells, and other natural treasures. I now use these materials in my artwork; cutting apart, carving, and combining different complex shapes to create something new yet familiar, graceful, and powerful. My desire is to create something beautiful, compelling, and surprising by combining natural objects to build something else. My art is an exploration of beauty, mortality, and rejuvenation.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I feel like my entire career has been a series of pivots! I like to think of these instances as moments of great personal growth and the quests for new adventures. I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to pursue my design career and now my artistic career on my own terms. Each change, or pivot taught me so many new things. I can’t wait for the next one!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to embrace the pivot! And to learn and grow from these new experiences. Being able to take risks, or pivots, or experience change, and have adventures– whatever you want to call it– I believe, is the essence of a well-lived life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://milleropie.com
• Instagram: @milleropie
• Linkedin: Miller Opie
• Youtube: @milleropie7046

Image Credits

Miller Opie