What is an Artists Statement & How Often Should It Be Updated?

An artist's statement is a statement of ideas and thoughts that describe your philosophy, vision, and passion towards your artistic creations.

Ponder over the following questions prior to writing your artist's statement:

  • Is your work whimsical, thought provoking, or edgy?

  • Does it portray a series of stories?

  • Whom or what has influenced you the most?

  • How is your work meaningful to you?

How do you begin to write your artists statement? You could begin by writing a quote that has inspired you and your work, or you could create a strong sentence that summarizes your philosophy about your life and how art has changed your views on life in general. You could also include what type of style and technique that motivates you the most while creating your art creation.

Some artists have writer's block when it comes to putting down their thoughts on paper. I would suggest that you start with words that best describe your art and inner thoughts then go back to edit them into definite statements. Most artists know and feel what they are trying to convey to their audience, however, writing it down becomes a huge task.

Personally, I believe your artist's statement should be written by yourself because of the personal touch you would be able to provide to it. No one knows better about your artistry other than yourself. Your audience will get a feel of what your inner thoughts are and how you find this passion to be a lifestyle and not a hobby.

Make sure you aren't using too many words that only artists would recognize. Express yourself while allowing your words to flow. You are expressing your passion; so don't feel pressured to become a renounced writer.

While being an artist is a rewarding career, unfortunately, there are people outside of this industry who would say it is a hobby. So, it is very important to express how you feel about your craft through your artist's statement. Writing a one-page statement would be sufficient in getting your statement across to your audience, but if it runs to a page two, that's fine. Clearly, it shows your audience that you are vividly and precisely getting your thoughts across.

Your artist's statement should be updated as your career inspires new direction and when there are profound events that have captured new inspirations in your creative vision. Your statement could be updated at the same pace similar to updating your résumé.

If you're still unsure how to get started, here are two excellent sites that have sample statements: www.mollygordon.com or www.naia-artists.org

Your artist's statement is a very important tool. Take a block of time out of your daily or weekly schedules to create the type of statement that will allow your audience to understand how you began your journey.

About The Author

Yasmeen Abdur-Rahman, Virtual Assistant & Lifestyle Entrepreneur Coach, is the owner of a home-based business called 'The Brownstone Workshop.' If you need your artist support materials (ASMs) professionally created and updated along with other administrative, ad hoc services, or lifestyle coaching, call on Yasmeen at (919) 319-6271, via e-mail yasmeen033@aol.com or via website: http://www.thebrownstoneworkshop.bigstep.com

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Branding Information:

Related Articles

12 Ways to Reduce Postage
1. Never send a letter that weighs less than 30 gms.
Great Brands Depend On Attention To The Brand Architecture
Do you have the architecture in place to make sure each and every brand contact sends the right message?Thinking in terms of architecture, a building that looks great and catches your attention is probably designed so that each component looks perfect and enhances the overall effect of the building.In the audiobook, "Sound Advice on Brand Marketing," author Tom Miller says, "Great architecture works because of attention to detail, and great brands depend on the same level of attention.
Play Your Position! - The Only Way to Win in Business
Have you ever watched 5-year-olds play soccer? It should be called "Follow the Ball," because that is what happens the entire game. The beginning of the game starts with players in assigned positions.
Your Small Business Name -- Important?
You bet a name is important. Many small business owners try to come up with a clever name for their business rather than one that explains what they do.
The Trust Issue In Marketing
One of the prime motivating factors in the purchase decision making process is "trust". A consumer will at some point for however long or short of a time, ask the question, "Can I trust this company/person/product?"In today's ever-changing world of marketing, electronic media, email, and advertising innovations and intrusions, companies, and businesses are marketing to an ever increasingly suspicious consumer, who is conflicted between their desire not to be "sold" to and their desire to consume.
Brand Identity Guru - Is Your Brand Vital?
The world is not waiting for you?or your product or service. Or your firm.
Naming Names... How to Name your Business
Sometimes the best inspiration comes from hearing about the deconstruction of other company's names. For you, I am happy to share how I came up with "Slice A Day :: your slice on marketing".
Why Branding?
Having a concise, clear image that you project to your clients and customers is important in today's market. More and more people are leaving the job market and creating their own business, whether by choice or necessity, so the competition continues to expand.
Understand Brand
Branding has been defined, explained and examined extensively. There are books, articles, publications, seminars, and groups all dedicated to exploring the meaning and use of brand today.
Good Logos Make Great Sales Tools
Every day, the average person is exposed to millions of visual stimuli including hundreds of company logos.A logo is a unique visual image that represents a company or its products.
Living Your Brand on the Web - Part 1
OK, so you took the plunge and purchased your internet domain. Good for you! Now what? According to Google.
Value Proposition Writing - Brand Identity Guru
Your Value Proposition, or as I usually call it, your Core Marketing Message, is still misunderstood by most professionals. It's not just a tagline, sound bite or even an "Audio Logo.
Attract More Clients With A Brand Identity
You've probably heard that people buy products and services from people they know, like and trust. And, as I have done, you've probably wondered how you can foster more of this "Know-Like-Trust" factor in your business relationships.
Logo Files: Versions Of Your Logo That You Should Own
Your logo is the most important graphic element in which you will invest for your business. You should own the logo in many file formats.
The Aim of the Name
Large corporations spend lavish amounts seeking names for their products that grab a consumer, or convey positive feelings. Book authors do the same.
What About Me? What You Need To Know About Me-Marketing
What about me? Are you asking yourself this question? If not you should be. Don't wait until you are in crisis mode when you are losing your job or your business before you think "what about me?"Here are a few points to consider.
Value-pricing Strategy: Were not The Cheapest but...
In this highly competitive online marketplace, it can be difficult to persuade customers to buy from you when you offer a similar product to your opposition but with a higher price tag. And trying to beat competitors on price alone is a cut-throat business, very risky and not recommended.
What is an Artists Statement & How Often Should It Be Updated?
An artist's statement is a statement of ideas and thoughts that describe your philosophy, vision, and passion towards your artistic creations.Ponder over the following questions prior to writing your artist's statement:Is your work whimsical, thought provoking, or edgy?Does it portray a series of stories?Whom or what has influenced you the most?How is your work meaningful to you?How do you begin to write your artists statement? You could begin by writing a quote that has inspired you and your work, or you could create a strong sentence that summarizes your philosophy about your life and how art has changed your views on life in general.
Product Positioning for Enterprise Software and Information Technology Companies
Good marketing positioning is like good lying. No, we're not suggesting that you lie when creating your company and product positioning.
Do What Works
"Can you hear me now?"You'd be hard pressed to find someone in the US who doesn't know the company behind that question.So why do big companies, like Verizon, hammer us with the same message over and over? Because it works.