Writing an Artist Statement - Structure and Examples (2024)
Your artist's statement is your chance to talk not just through your art but about your art. You can use your artist's statement to reveal the concepts, philosophy, themes and ideas behind your artwork and this useful guide will tell you how!
What is an Artist Statement?
An artist's statement is as important as an artist's work. Simply put, the artist statement is a brief description of your artworks that shapes the viewers' perspective when they are looking at your art.
Think of it as your substitute when you are not present to answer questions related to your art. Art is subjective. People will look at your craft and evaluate it. So, it helps if you communicate your story to the viewer. Viewers often have questions about the art they are looking at. An effective artist statement answers those questions while you are not there.
Writing an artist statement should ideally be natural and free flowing because essentially, you are expressing your own story. However, it can seem challenging to put one together.
Creative professionals write artist statements as part of their online portfolio. An online portfolio acts as your professional address and launchpad to find work opportunities and recognition. Artist statements go hand-in-hand with a portfolio website.A website helps you gain credibility and legitimacy. Take a look at some great examples of artist portfolio websites.
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Given below are a few valuable tipsfrom professional essay writers that will help you to write a clear, concise, and compelling artist statement.Here are stunninggreat tattoo artist portfolio website examplesdesigned for your use.
How to write an artist statement – The structure
Your artist statement is about YOU. So you must make it personal. Writing an artist statement is also an exercise for you to clarify your ideas about your work.
What questions are you often asked about your work?
Who is your audience
You must establish the connection between what you are creating as an artist, and why are you doing it. How are you expressing your ideas with the medium of your choice?
Your artist statement is an introduction to your work and should be no more than 100 -150 words. The opening sentence should be distinct and captivating and draw the readers in. Begin with a short paragraph about the basic premise behind your work, artistic style, and vision. What do you want to say with your art? What is it that makes your work unique? What inspires you? What makes you stand out from the rest of the artists working in your space?
Be honest about your work. Avoid repetition of words. Use simple language and short sentences that draw attention to, and illustrate your ideas to your audience
The next paragraph should be a concise expression of the type of work presented and the artistic process. Describe your job, your favorite colors, and your technique as an. As a photographer, explain your work from a creative and technical standpoint.
An artist statement can be a full-page statement or a short statement, only focusing on your current project.
In a full-page artist statement, do remember to include the following:
The reason behind creating your work and its history
Overall vision
The context of your work -Medium, artistic process, technique, and influences. Highlight what materials you work with and your sources and inspiration
The expectations of your audience and how they perceive your work
Your current work’s relation to your previous projects
How your work fits with current contemporary art practice
Tip: While writing, do remember that you should avoid exaggerated statements and avoid pretentiously grand terms like 'the only one' or the 'best.'
Where is an artist statement used?
Remember, an artist statement complements your bio or resume.It is an opportunity to help the reader envision your work before actually seeing it, and present a picture of who you are as an artist.
Here are a few places where you may need to submit your artist statement:
To a gallery owner or curator who needs details about your work.
To a competitive event or an artist collective.
When applying to graduate school
When applying for grants or art scholarships
When applying for a teaching position.
To a reviewer who is writing about your work for a magazine or catalog.
As an introduction to your creative work for potential buyers.
Along with your portfolio of works, you must have an artist statement ready at all times. It is the first point of communication between you as an artist and the viewer.
Examples of famous artist statements
Here are some artist statement examples that you can get inspired from:
"I long for the old days of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, stars who had real glamour and mystique. We only knew so much about their lives; the rest was a mystery… My fascination with letting images repeat and repeat – or in a film's case 'run on' – manifests my belief is that we spend much of our lives seeing without observing."
Leonardo da Vinci, Salvator Mundi. Wikipedia
"The beginnings and ends of shadow lie between the light and darkness and may be infinitely diminished and infinitely increased. Shadow is the means by which bodies display their form. The forms of bodies could not be understood in detail but for shadow."
Painting by Berthe Morisot
"It is important to express oneself… provided the feelings are real and are taken from your own experience… My ambition is limited to capturing something transient, and yet, this ambition is excessive."
From any of the sample artist statements above, you can understand that conveying the purpose of your art and your philosophy towards it is important.
Check out these great examples ofartist portfolio websitesfor your inspiration and further examples of artist statements.
Tips for writing a compelling artist statement:
1. Share the inspiration behind your art
One of the best ways to introduce your art to the viewers is to write about the inspiration behind it. This lays a foundation before you begin to explain your artwork to your viewers. Inspiration can be a daily phenomenon or a particular incident. Regardless, explain it in as simple words as you can. This act accomplishes the principal goal of connecting with the viewer. Not doing so leaves a viewer unconnected, especially if it's abstract art. Without it, your art is a splash of multiple colors on canvas with nothing to make of it.
2. Shape the viewer's perspective
The next important thing to do when you write an artist statement is to explain your art in words that would shape the perspective of viewers. Your art is your viewpoint, and one can easily misunderstand it. To ensure that you and the viewer are on the same page, add a line or two to explain your art. But, restrain from divulging all the details about your work. Try to leave a little room for curiosity such that the viewer is bound to further inquire about your art.
3. Keep the artist statement as small as possible
If you are wondering how long should your artist statement be, then you should know that lengthy biographies drain viewers, especially when they are out to see beautiful art. A lot of fancy words make a statement boring and challenging to comprehend. A long-winded explanation makes the work appear insecure.
Some of the best artist statements are under 100 words. A rule of thumb that you can follow here is - the shorter, the better. Find an example of an artist statement that you can relate to and get inspired by ideas from it.
Consider this as the most critical point in your lessons on how to write an artist statement. An effective artist statement is anywhere from a hundred words to one-page-long. To bring your statement in this range, cut down on technical details and fancy words that you may have included in your artist statement.
4. Use an active voice
Write your artist statement in an active voice. It makes the tone more conversational as if you are speaking to your viewer in person. It establishes an instant connection with the viewer. Use online editing tools likethe HemingwayApp to ensure that your artist statement appears in the active voice.
5. Avoid spelling and grammatical mistakes
One of the primary purposes of an artist statement is to draw the audience into your artworks and lead them to explore your art further. A sloppy artist statement puts a reader off, departing them with less interest or no interest in art at all. Inconsistency in writing, typos, and spelling errors might turn a viewer away.
You can use tools likeGrammarlyto avoid small grammatical mistakes. A well-punctuated, typo-free, artist statement is a joy to read.
Here's a simple list of do's and don'ts to sum everything up. You can use this as your artist statement format:
Do’s - Best practices to create a successful artist statement
Keep your artist statement short
Be specific and on the point
Bring clarity, confidence and focus on your statement
Write about 'Why' you created the artwork
Use precise details such as where you are from, where you live, your medium and style of work
Use active voice
Always write in the first person. Use "I" instead of "you" in your sentences. This helps in writing a statement that is easily readable by the viewer. Do remember to keep your bio updated
A few DONT’S to remember while writing your artist statement:
Don't be pompous. It shouldn't just highlight your accomplishments.
Do not generalize or romanticize
It should not be too long
Avoid grammatical errors
Don't use unnecessary references or things unrelated to your work
Do not use passive voice
It should not read like a cliched vision statement
Do not summarize your biographical information or CV in your artist statement
Do get feedback about your artist statement from your friends, peers, and mentors, before you start using it. Make sure that you get at least three people to proofread it for you. A good practice is to have a friend read the artist statement aloud to you. Hearing it out loud can help you identify mistakes and assess the statement objectively.
Make sure that your artist statement converses in a simple language that everyone understands.
Remember, your artist statement will not just represent your work on your artist portfolio. It will also serve as an example of your professionalism and expertise. An effective artist statement will draw more people to your work, enhance their experience, and help them appreciate it.
“I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. It doesn't matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said. On the floor, I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting.
Your artist statement should be a written description of your artwork that gives deeper insight into your work through your personal history, material choices and themes you address. It helps both viewers understand what is most important to you and galleries explain your work to potential buyers.
What information does an artist's statement need to include? There are three elements to consider: the “how,” the “what,” and the “why.” There should be enough information in your artist statement that someone can begin to imagine the art that you make without having it in front of them.
Don't use unnecessary jargon. Avoid words, phrases, and ideas that are so specific to your discipline that a general arts reader might not understand them. If there's a term or phrase that's essential to include, just explain it briefly. This can be accomplished in as little as a phrase within the sentence.
Avoid being pompous, overly technical and complicated. The reader of your statement is often a person who didn't get a degree in art history or has never tried to do what you are doing as an artist. Avoid superficial and overused statements such as “I paint because I have to” or “I pour my soul into each piece.”
An artist's statement should tell the viewer what they need to know about you and your artwork in a simple and concise way. In general, an artist's statement shouldn't be longer than 150 to 200 words.
In order to nail this introduction and make your art business unforgettable, answer these five questions for potential buyers in your artist statement:
The artist biography is always written in the third person and it is accepted practice to use your last name when referring to yourself. It should only include information relating to your artist's career, and such personal information as you feel to be relevant to your career.
An artist's statement accompanying a single piece of work can be a few sentences or a short paragraph long. Generally, an artist statement should only be between 100-200 words because shorter statements are better for the average attention span.
What is an Artist Statement? An artist statement is piece of writing by you that helps the audience access or understand your artistic work. It is written in the first person, while artist bios are written in the third person.
There are seven elements of art that are considered the building blocks of art as a whole. The seven elements are line, color, value, shape, form, space, and texture.
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It can be very hard to be close to an artist because they think so differently from the average person. Some of their common and less desirable personality traits are neurosis, self absorption, moodiness and disorganization.
The whole “artists have to draw everyday” is a myth that can actually be counterproductive. While you may feel rusty after a break, there's no such thing as losing your skills. Taking a break is important for both your physical and mental health. Without physical breaks you can risk injuring yourself.
Any hard materials you use to make your artwork can be deducted from your taxes. This includes your supplies, raw materials, electricity that might be used to create your work, and frames. These materials are generally things you use up within the year (think paint, clay, glaze, canvases, etc.)
A description of your current work and why you chose to make your work the way you did. Also, explain what you work means to you and what you hope it would mean to those who look at it.
You've probably heard fellow artists say something like this as well, or perhaps you've even thought it yourself. Galleries typically take a 50% commission on the sale of two-dimensional artwork – paintings, photos, monotypes, etc., and anywhere from 33.3% to 40% for three-dimensional work.
Pay yourself a reasonable hourly wage, add the cost of materials and make that your asking price. For example, if materials cost $50, you take 20 hours to make the art, and you pay yourself $20 an hour to make it, then you price the art at $450 ($20 X 20 hours + $50 cost of materials).
In most cases, your entire presentation including questions and answers should not generally exceed ten minutes (preferably less) in order to avoid boring people, losing their attention, or keeping them from looking at your art.
Questions to ask yourself when looking at art. When was the piece created? What events were happening in the world at the time the piece was created? Where is the piece located?
Evaluating a work of art isn't as difficult as it may seem. There are four basic steps: describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating. Use these handy guiding questions and you'll be a pro!
Artists fail because the lifestyle is lonely, insecure, and the hours are long. Artists also fail because they're dreamers and think that good art sells itself. Artists fail because they don't know how to market their work and run a small business.
They have a strong desire to please and show their love through actions rather than words. Artists are interested in contributing to people's sense of well-being and happiness, and will put a great deal of effort and energy into tasks which they believe in.
Your artist statement should communicate the deeper meaning of your work with clarity and precision. It should draw in the viewer and make them want to learn more. With a well-crafted statement, you can give insights into your work through your personal history, material choices and themes you address.
While a bio can be written in third-person (e.g. she grew up in Nebraska…; he studied in Vancouver…), an artist's statement has to be written in the first-person perspective (e.g. my printmaking technique…; I apprenticed to carve…).
The name of a performing artist or the name of a band may be registered as a trademark, but not the name of a single song or a single album. The proposed trademark must be used on a minimum of two creative works to be considered a series.
“Students should write about why they chose the subject, what inspires them, what they like to do in their spare time, and their achievements and ambitions.” She added that it is important that the different parts of the statement are linked and flow well together.
What Is an Artist's Statement? A general introduction to your work, a body of work, or a specific project. It should open with the work's basic ideas in an overview of two or three sentences or a short paragraph. The second paragraph should go into detail about how these issues or ideas are presented in the work.
An artist's statement should tell the viewer what they need to know about you and your artwork in a simple and concise way. In general, an artist's statement shouldn't be longer than 150 to 200 words.
An artist statement is piece of writing by you that helps the audience access or understand your artistic work. It is written in the first person, while artist bios are written in the third person.
Essentially, an artist bio connects the impact your life history has on your artwork and talks about your concepts, philosophies, inspirations, and influences. An artist statement is typically required when you join an art competition, submit your portfolio to a gallery or museum; it may also be used in press releases.
If you're writing a legal statement, elements such as the date and subject of the statement should appear at the top. You should also identify relevant parties and explain how they're connected to the subject.
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Phone: +3512198379449
Job: Design Planner
Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing
Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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