Writing an Artist Statement
What is an Artist Statement?
An artist statement is a piece of writing that helps someone access or understand your artistic work. It is written in first person and typically no more than 1 page (3-4 paragraphs). It is used for grant applications, teaching positions, fellowships, and more.
Writing about your work can be a key part of the creative process. You may better understand yourself as an artist by putting words to a specific work, a group of works, or your body of work over a particular period of time.
NOTE: Keep your artistic statement easily accessible a it will evolve and be updated over time, as you grow and evolve as an artist.
What to consider in the statement:
- What are key ideas, issues, struggles, and/or goals in your work or practice?
- Thematic focus of work (goal, purpose, intention, exploration)
- How can you give the reader visuals and set your work in a time and space?
- Content of work (themes, ideas, subject matter)
- Influences (cultural, historical, theoretical, personal, biographical, etc.)
- Form of work (materials, processes, traditions of work)
- Describe your process and what the work looks like, sounds like, etc.
- Who is your audience? Who do you have in mind when you are creating your work? Who is the audience for your statement?
- How can you clarify what your work is about? How can you make your work easier to understand?
NOTE: If you are unsure what your work is about, your readers will be as well.
Places to Start
- Brainstorm a list of nouns, verbs, and adjectives that relate to your work and use them as the building blocks for your writing
- Have a friend or peer interview you and ask questions about your work. Answer the questions and record the conversation or have your friend take notes.
- Read the artist statements of those you admire to generate ideas of what to include.
- Read what has been written about artists you have an affinity with.
Structuring: “The Recipe” for a First Draft
This is one way to structure a first draft to get ideas out on the paper.
First Paragraph: Your thesis. In the opening lines, discuss the what, why, and how of your work. Define the main line of inquiry. Ex: “My body of work combines [the how] photography and original writing [the what] to investigate themes of time and memory [the why].”
Second Paragraph: Describe the materials and/or forms you use in your work. Briefly mention artistic influences that best correspond to your work and why it inspires you. Describe an example of your work and how it captures your thesis statement from earlier.
Third Paragraph: Tie your statement together by discussing current works as well as what the opportunity you’re applying for will allow you to do (if relevant).
Revision
- Write in first person and avoid overly complicated language and jargon.
- Keep your statement clear, concise, and authentic.
- Edit out phrases or statements that are general and could be applied to any artist. Make the reader want to know more about your work.
- Use quotes only when they are very relevant to your work.
- Have another person read it – faculty, peers, the writing center.
- Keep notes, thoughts, and reflections as you grow your craft to help you integrate it into your statement.
- Read your statement aloud to help catch mistakes and work on phrasing/flow.
- Proofread, spell check, and make sure you’re using active phrases, not passive ones.