Writing artist statements

An artist statement is most often the front line of communication between an artist and the public.

Rachel MacFarlane Resources Tackle this necessary evil with confidence.

WHY DO YOU NEED AN ARTIST STATEMENT?

Here are seven steps for writing a better artist statement, plus a checklist. Build your professional portfolio website in minutes. Start your free day trial today, no credit card required. The most important thing for artists to write is their artist statement.

It can greatly dictate how people view your work, whether you like it or not.

An artist statement should briefly describe how the artist writing artist statements, and what their work means. It is no longer than a page and can be as short as one hundred words. You can use it for galleries, press mentions, portfolios, applications and submissions.

Try to approach writing a statement as an invigorating challenge. Going through this exercise can lead to new ways of thinking about your practice and can propel you towards positive changes.

Your artist statement is not a comprehensive description of your work—instead think of the statement as leading into the work. To help you write an artist statement worthy of your art, we put together this step-by-step process. Make a mind map. First you need to get an overview of your work.

If you try to jump right into your statement you might miss connecting the reader to overarching themes. Mind maps are a simple brainstorm strategy that really work. Sitting in a quiet place, like your studio, write down anything that comes to mind about your work.

How does it connect? What collides together and stands out? What is the most unique? The answers to these questions are likely the guts of your statement. This simple strategy can kick off the process in a lighthearted and easy way.

It can be hard to get out of your head.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

Another strategy is to either interview yourself, or better yet, have a friend interview you. Set up some important questions, then record yourself speaking the answers aloud. This can be a fantastic way to avoid using complicated language, and keep your ideas clear and simple.

It will also provide a conversational tone to your writing i. Listen back to the recording. Then transcribe a few good sentences. Now sure what questions to ask yourself? Who is your audience? Explain your work to a child.

How do you make your work? How do your materials inform your concept?A s a professional artist, you need to have more than your work to get around in the art world. Along with your portfolio, you should have an artist statement available at a moment’s notice.

An artist statement should be considered just as important as your works. Jonathan H. Dough - Artist Statement My artwork takes a critical view of social, political and cultural issues.

In my work, I deconstruct the American dream, fairy tales, nursery rhymes, and lullabies that are part of our childhood and adult culture. An artist statement is an ever-evolving text.

Many artists struggle with it; some hope to avoid it altogether. Follow these tips to write a convincing artist statement that . The following artist statement examples are provided as samples you can emulate. Don't copy them, but use them as inspiration to sculpt your own statement using ideas and words.

Artist statements don’t have to be a source of fear (for the writer) and boredom (for the reader)! See a few examples of strong artist statements below, and below that, a discussion of what makes them good.

Artist statements don’t have to be a source of fear (for the writer) and boredom (for the reader)! See a few examples of strong artist statements below, and below that, a discussion of what makes them good.