Make sure that what you say in your artist’s statement matches the artworks your are displaying and use words that suit the art you create.
To get the ideas flowing, brainstorm, mind map and use free writing to get all your ideas out onto paper, disregarding things like grammar and style and then edit and refine it later.
Use spell check!
Start by answering these questions:
1. What am I doing? Aka what am I making, what does it look like? and how do I differ from other artists?
2. Why do I make the art I make? Simply, what is your motivation behind creating the art you do? Do you wish to change or affect something with your art?
3. Who do I make art for? This can be a tough one, avoid saying everybody, you’re much better off picking a type of person. If you make art for yourself, you need to be really careful with
4. What is most important about my art right now? It is common for artists to explore many themes throughout their career. But you should not try to put all of the themes into one statement. Focus on your current work and only mention “Old” work if it is relevant to your current work.
- Celine Marie at Art Plus Marketing
“When you break the process of writing an artist statement into small steps—brainstorming, free writing, and editing—the task becomes less daunting.”
“Gather your art in one digital or physical space and really look at it. It’s possible you’ve been working on such a micro level you haven’t taken a macro view in a while. What commonalities and differences do you see? Think holistically about a specific body of art.
Write out a list of adjectives that describe your work. Use both visual and tonal descriptors. Be specific and avoid art jargon. If your art follows in the footsteps of minimalism, could you describe it as quiet? Or rhythmic? Is your work funny, raunchy, messy?
Think about the emotions and reactions you want your audience to come away with. An artist’s intent may have little bearing on an audience’s interpretation, but an artist statement is one of the few places you get to nudge that audience towards your desired result. Do they learn something from your art or make new connections between disparate subjects? Are you trying to make people feel agitated, joyful, incensed?”
