Writing Your Artist Statement

Does this sound familiar?

"Why do I have to write an artist statement? If I wanted to write to express myself I would have been a writer. The whole idea of my art is to say things visually. Why can't people just look at my art and take away whatever experiences they will?"

An artist's statement shouldn't be dismissed; it's a vital selling tool, promoting and explaining your work to people looking at your paintings, whether they're potential buyers, exhibition curators, critics, fellow artists, or casual browsers. At its best, an artist's statement reads easily, is informative, and adds to people's understanding of the artist and the painting.

So What Should an Artist's Statement Say?

An artist's statement should be an explanation of your painting style and subjects or themes. Add a bit about your approach or philosophy if you wish. Mention your education, specifically if you've studied art. Consider mentioning which artists (living and dead) have influenced or inspired you. Mention any significant awards you have won, exhibitions you have participated in, collections your paintings appear in or significant sales you may have made, and painting organizations or societies you belong to. Remember, though, you're aiming to create professional credibility by highlighting your achievements, not providing a full resume. If you don't have a formal art qualification, don't worry, it's your paintings that make you an artist, not your qualifications.

Like an introduction to a book, your statement presents the fundamental underpinnings of your art; write it for people who are about to read "your book," not those who've already read it. In three to five paragraphs of three to five sentences each, provide basic information like WHY YOU MAKE YOUR ART, HOW YOU MAKE IT, WHAT IT'S MADE OUT OF, and perhaps briefly, WHAT YOUR ART MEANS TO YOU. Don't bog readers down, but rather entice them to want to know more. As with any good first impression, your statement should hook and invite further inquiry, like a really good story is about to be told. Give too little, not too much.

Let's Get Writing Then!

Step 1 - The creative step

a. Begin by taking a few minutes to think about what you do and why you do it. What made you get into this work? What are your favorite things about your work? Don't worry about proper sentences at this point, just brainstorm your ideas.

b. Write down a list of words that you feel are relevant to your work, words that communicate your feelings and your values. Keep it loose and real, we'll worry about choosing the right words later in the process.

c. Answer these questions as simply as possible, these will be the sugar and spice of your statement:

- What is your favorite tool? Why?
- What is your favorite material/medium? Why?
- What do you like best about what you do?
- What do you mean when you say that a piece has turned out really well?
- What patterns emerge in your work? Is there a pattern in the way you select materials? In the way you use color, texture or light?
- What do you do differently from the way you were taught? Why?
- What is your favorite color? List three qualities of the color. Consider that these qualities apply to your work.

d. Write five sentences that tell about your connection to your work. If you are stuck, start by filling in the blanks below.

When I work with__________ I am reminded that___________.

I begin a piece by______________.

I know a piece is done when__________________.

When my work is going well, I am filled with a sense of _____________.

When people see my work, I'd like them to ________________.

Step 2 - Assembling the pieces

Write a three paragraph statement. Keep it authentic and direct and use your previous creative process to help you along. Use the present tense. Say nice things about yourself, remember this is your selling card. If you find this hard to do, write about an artist whose work you admire. Then write about yourself as though you were an admiring colleague. As a rule, your artist's statement should be written in the first person. Refer to yourself with the pronouns "I, me, my." If this blocks you, write in the third person, then go back and change the pronouns as needed when editing. Need some suggestions?

First paragraph. Begin with a simple statement of why you do the work you do. Support that statement, telling the reader more about your goals and aspirations.

Second paragraph. Tell the reader how you make decisions in the course of your work. How and why do you select materials, techniques, themes? Keep it simple and tell the truth.

Third paragraph. Tell the reader a little more about your current work. How it grew out of prior work or life experiences. What are you exploring, attempting, challenging by doing this work.

Step 3 - Reading and Revising

After you finish these previous exercises, sleep on the statement you created. Allow for this time to dettach yourself from it so that you can come back to polish the writing without violating your sense of integrity and safety. Let your mind wander over the creative process and allow yourself to experience the truth of your creative experience, enjoy the realization that your work is grounded in real values and experience.

The next day read your statement out loud. Listen to the way the sounds and rhythms seem to invite pauses. Notice places where you'd like the sound or rhythm to be different. As you read your statement, some phrases will ring true and others false. Think about the ones that aren't on the mark and find the true statement lurking behind the false one. Sometimes your internal censors may keep you from making a wholehearted statement of your truth lest it sound self-important. Risk puffing yourself up as long as your claims are in line with your goals and values.

Keep reading and revising your statement until you hear a musical, simple, authentic voice that is making clear and honest statements about your work.The next step? You need a second opinion. Choose a trusted friend or professional to read your statement. None knows better than yourself what is true about your work, but you want feedback on clarity, tone, and technical matters as spelling and punctuation. Once you've incorporated suggestions that make sense to you, make a crisp, clear original of your artist's statement. Sign and date it. Make lots of copies, you will have lots of people to serve it to!

Quick tip: After writing your statement, ask some of the writers here at the World Artist Network to give you advice on the technical points, or email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it