When someone asks you what you do as a visual artist, it might be challenging to explain your kind of work. The good news is, an artist statement can act as part of your portfolio and help to summarize your work when you need to apply for things like grants.
It also gives people a first impression of your work, so it’s important to write one that’s accurate and exciting in order to win over your potential clientele.
What Is an Artist Statement?
A good artist briefly describes how you work as an artist and what your work means. It should be short enough to fit into one page, and can be even shorter, in as few as a hundred words. The important thing is that you describe your work well while also incorporating your own unique personality and voice.
7 Steps to Writing an Artist Statement
Here are the steps to help you write a powerful artist statement:
1. Get an overview of your work.
Don’t be in too much of a hurry to write an artist statement. First, get an overiew of your art, by compiling everything into one space. You can do this physically or even digitally, perhaps in one folder where you can view the thumbnails or scroll through them continuously.
As you do this, look for common themes and differences. This bird’s eye view will help you encapsulate what your work is about.
2. Brainstorm or make a mind map describing your work.
Next, use brainstorming or mind mapping techniques to verbalize what you see. Find a quiet place and time where you won’t be disturbed. Then, write down everything you can think of relating to your work.
How do you work best? What themes do you enjoy most? What is unique about your art? When you brainstorm through questions like these, you are getting to the heart of who you are as an artist, and consequently, of your artist statement.
3. Answer interview questions.
After you brainstorm random thoughts relating to your work, you might want to get more specific. You can do this by writing down interview questions that you will answer, or get a friend to interview you about your art.
Sometimes, getting an outsider to ask you questions may be a great way to encapsulate what you really work for.
When you answer these questions, try to use simple and clear language in a conversational tone. It’s also a good idea to record yourself as you answer, so you can later go back to the recording to formulate your statements.
Here are example questions that you can include in the interview:
- Who is your target audience?
- Who are your main influences?
- How would you describe your work to a child?
- How do you work?
- What makes your work unique?
- How do your materials affect your output?
4. Create an outline of the necessary information.
To make sure you don’t fall to concepts that are too abstract, create an outline of the information that you believe is necessary. Check through the list and write concrete examples for each abstract idea to make them more tangible for yourself and possibly for your readers.
It doesn’t mean that abstract ideas are a no-no, but consider how you can give more specific information. The outline can help you see what you want to include, and decide on the details that you can give.
5. Avoid vague jargon.
Artists live in a world all of their own, but that doesn’t mean you need to shut everybody else out by your choice of words. When you use jargon that are automatically understood by your artist friends but leave other audiences scratching their head, you’re losing your chance to reach your audience.
To avoid using academic language to explain your work, find a way to invite them into your art. Remember, your artist statement is not an analysis or interpretation of your work, but rather a hook to catch people’s interest. Think of it as an elevator pitch, the movie trailer that can get people interested to see that larger output.
6. Use the active voice in your writing.
In writing, we have the active and passive voice. We recommend using the active voice in your artist statement.
The active voice creates more concise sentences, and it makes your work feel current, urgent, and important, as something that is still happening now instead of something that is already done.
7. Proofread!
Yes, it’s important that you proofread your artist statement. It might be best to set it aside for a few days or even a week after finishing your draft, so you can come back to it with fresh eyes and more easily spot errors.
Alternatively—and perhaps an even better alternative—get someone else to proofread it for you. We suggest getting different people to do this: one could be someone who already understands your work, another can be an expert writer who may not necessarily be a visual artist, and third, someone not familiar with your work.
Why You Need Different Versions of Your Artist Statement
While creating one artist statement may already feel daunting, once you get the first version up, consider making a few other different versions.
This is because different opportunities may call for a different focus. For example, if you are applying at a university, you might want a version that uses more academic language. For a public gallery space, your statement would be better off with a simple, conversational tone.
Some of the versions you might need include:
- The full-page statement: This is usually what you will use the most, speaking generally about your work, methods, work history, among others; this also usually includes examples of your current projects or work;
- The short statement: This is a shortened version of your full-page statement;
- The short project statement: This is an even briefer version, usually describing a specific project you are proposing or presenting;
- Your bio: This is a short description of who you are as an artist, your career history, and major accomplishments.
Using Your Artist Statement to Build Your Career
Now that you’ve written your artist statement, celebrate! It may have been a challenge to write, but the rewards it can reap for you can be so much more!
You can use it to build your following, or even to build your career. If you’re joining an art show, make sure your statement can be found alongside your works.
You may also put it into the front of your portfolio, or on your website so people looking through your work will know if they want to work with you. Cheers to your career as a visual artist!
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
