An artist statement can be artwork or project specific or be more generally about your practice, hence these often need to be generated at the time of applying for particular opportunities.
Take care to discern what is being asked for and the word or letter limit given. Commonly you are asked for 100-150 words.
Writing several drafts will enable you to consider and edit the statement before you copy and paste it into the application.
Think of it as a link between you and your work, tailored to suit different contexts and requirements.
Note:
There are numerous online resources to help with CV, Artist Statement and Bio writing.
- Look at websites of artists whose work you admire or know, and also those who are at a similar stage in their careers as you.
- Art gallery websites have these available for the artists they represent.
- Practical online resources with excellent tips for writing an Artist Statement are available from (amongst others):
- If you are a more established artist, you may consider becoming a member of NAVA – The National Association of Visual Artists – as their website has numerous documents to assist all aspects of your practice.
The most important thing to remember is to tailor your document to suit each purpose by giving priority to what is being asked for and don’t include unnecessary information.
Resources:
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
Southern Printmakers Association 