How to write an Artist Statement. Do's and Don'ts

Regardless of how people discover you or your art, anyone interested in you or your creations will start looking for more information, typically online, through search engines. Your artist statement on a website or social media will become the first source of information.

Many young artists wonder: 

"Why should I write an artist statement when the whole idea of my art is to communicate visually? Why can't people just look at my art and take away their own impressions?"

Indeed, people will look at your art and draw their own experiences from it. However, the reality is that on this planet, people communicate with words, and your artistic statement represents and conveys the verbal component of your art. 

When individuals encounter your art for the first time and seek to learn more, they often have questions. When you're present, they ask you, and you can respond. When you're not there, your artist statement answers for you.

Moreover, your artistic statement acts as the facts, the basic introduction; it's your opportunity to present your art and yourself.

Whether you like the idea of expressing your art in words or not, sooner or later, you'll have to confront it. So, let's get down to business and write this "damned" thing… 

Don't be surprised if you can't craft your statement right away. Don't worry if you struggle to put into words what you do; it takes time, and that's perfectly normal.

Keep it brief!

This is the first and foremost rule. An artist statement is like your business card and should be short and to the point. The length of the statement should be between 150 to 250 words (roughly half a printed page), which is sufficient to convey the main idea of your work and highlight the key points.

Write simply

All you need to provide the reader is a basic introduction and the essential information to understand your art. 

Recall the questions your family, friends, and others ask you most frequently and which answers work best.

Include this information, and you'll have a great start. There's no need to describe the history of your work's creation or your biography; other documents are meant for that. This is more about your philosophical outlook on your artistic activity.

Be sincere

The internet is full of examples of other artists' statements. But remember, when you send your statement to galleries or other cultural figures, these people have seen many such documents. 

They can easily tell what has been genuinely written by you, where there is sincerity, and what has been copied or written in haste. Don't rush; give yourself time to write and make it unique.

Write for complete strangers

Like the introduction to a good book, your statement introduces and communicates the fundamental principles of your art, aspects that people need to know. Most likely, you'd like to expand your audience of admirers, so write in a way that makes your text understandable to those not familiar with your art. 

People who already know and understand your creativity don't need help, and if they do, they know how to get it. But those who are not familiar need understanding.

Make sure anyone can understand your statement. 

Write your statement in a language that everyone understands. Not in the language you or your friends understand, not the one you learned in art school, but in everyday language that you use with everyday people to accomplish everyday things. 

The vast majority of people who view and appreciate art do not have an art education and do not understand art-specific terms or jargon. 

You never know who might become your fan, follower, supporter, and especially your buyer. Therefore, using obfuscations and unclear words only confuses them, and when someone is confused, they leave you and go elsewhere to see art.

Make it conversational

Write as if you are standing next to the reader and talking to them about your art. This means writing in the first person, not the third. Use "I", "me", and "my" when talking about yourself, instead of "he", "she", or "they".

Please, Keep It Simple!

The more complex, theoretical, mysterious, unfathomable, inflated, pompous, egotistic, arrogant, pretentious, or impersonal your statement is, the more difficulty people will have understanding it and connecting with you and your art. 

Few readers want to expend energy trying to decipher complexities. They simply want to see your art, understand what it's about, relax, enjoy themselves, and derive pleasure from it.

Avoid imperative phrases on how to perceive your art

Steer clear of instructing people on how to see, feel, behave, or react. Leave that for their personal interpretation. Instead of saying, "You will feel fear when you look at my art," say, "This art expresses my fears," or "I convey my fears through my art." 

What you create and write influences and shapes people's thoughts, so it's also important to create a positive context for them, ensuring their experience is positive.

For instance, rather than saying something like "My art is about suffering," say "My art is about ending suffering."

Avoid Mentioning Other Artists, Better Yet—Don't Mention Them at All

If other artists have significantly influenced your work, that's fine, but don't write: "Like Van Gogh, I do this" or "As Picasso does, I do this." 

Instead, say something like "The blue and pink paintings of Picasso influence how I use red." Even better, don't mention other artists in your statement at all. Let critics decide whom you resemble. Moreover, you don't need to be compared with the greatest artists who ever lived. We all know who wins in that comparison.

Answer the Question: 

"What's in It for Me as the Reader?" People who see something in your art with which they can identify will spend more time engaging with it than those who do not see such a connection.

Allow readers to interpret your art themselves

Talk about what your work means to you, instead of telling people what it should mean to them, how they should view it, what they should think about it, etc. Give them the freedom to feel, enjoy, interpret, and interact with your art however they wish.

Don't critique your own art

Leave that to the critics. The goal of a good statement is to introduce or explain your art, not to subjectively judge or evaluate it. Stick to the facts.

Pay attention to Feedback 

The reality is that sometimes you may not be able to view your art objectively or see the overarching concept of your works. In your mind, you might be focused on a single theme, but your creations can evoke a much broader spectrum of emotions and meanings than you imbue in your creativity.

It's highly beneficial to listen to feedback from people who love your art. The key here is "those who love"; don't dwell on criticism! That's a different matter. 

The symbiosis of your vision and the feedback from your audience will help you craft a unique artist statement that resonates well. Expand and adapt your statement if your art or approach to it changes. This demonstrates your growth as an artist and keeps the information relevant for your audience.

So, we've covered the general rules, now let's move on to writing. 

Answer the questions below with 2-4 sentences each to form 3 to 5 paragraphs: 

1. Why do you create art? What are the reasons, life events, or personal beliefs that fuel your desire to create? In other words, describe what drives your creativity. 

2. What inspires you? Are there specific things in nature, art, culture, or personal experiences that significantly influence your artistic vision? 

3. Explain why people should be interested in your work. What does your art express, represent, or communicate to society? 

4. What makes your creations unique and special? 5. Briefly write what your art means to you personally. How does it affect your life, your thoughts, or your self-identification?

Give your answers some time to settle, and after a while, read them aloud and edit. 

The goal of an artistic statement is to intrigue. Like any good first impression, your statement should capture attention and create a desire to learn more. Provide enough to engage, but not so much as to overwhelm. 

Before publishing or sending your statement, seek feedback. Show your works and the statement to friends, friends of friends, and even a couple of strangers.

Make sure they understood and grasped the main idea you were trying to convey. If they didn't get it, or if you find yourself having to explain, rewrite and clear up any confusion. 

Often, a small rearrangement is all it takes to make your statement clear, understandable, and concise. Regardless of how wonderful or intriguing your statement is, calmly recognize that most people will quickly read through and move on; only a portion will want to learn more, and even fewer will want to learn everything. This is simply the nature of art and personal taste. 

Bearing this in mind, one should not underestimate the power of an effective artistic statement, which can enhance, expand, and deepen the way people connect, experience, and identify with your art.

What to do next with your Artist Statement?

Your Artist Statement should always be readily available. It should always be with you and easily accessible, whether as a file or a website link. Keep it handy and publish it on websites or social media, everywhere you showcase your art, so that it's easily found by anyone interested in you as an artist or in your art.

We hope the advice provided above has helped you create a compelling artist statement, so go ahead and post it on your Arts.Center profile.

If you don't yet have a profile, join our community. We help our artists to be seen and heard. We aim to present your art to potential collectors from all around the world.

Seize every opportunity to tell the story of your art, and remember, the Artist Statement is a living document that grows and changes along with you.

At Arts.center, we continuously update and moderate our articles to ensure the relevance and usefulness of the information for our audience. We value the feedback and wishes of our audience and are always ready to consider your ideas for improvement, to make our resource even more valuable and helpful for artists. We strive to be not only a place for commercial success but also a source of inspiration and support for artists who seek to develop their talent and share their vision with the world.