UNFOLDING THE MYSTERIOUS ARTIST’S

STATEMENT And other related “stuff”

ElizabethG.Mead

May15,2011

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What is an Artist’s Statement?

•  Brieftext(statement)•  About1paragraph•  Explainsbodyofwork•  General/overarchingorspecifictoashoworindividualpieceofwork

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Why do I Need an Artist’s Statement?

•  Usuallyagalleryor“calltoarKsts”requirement

•  KeythatdefinesYOUandwhatyourworkisallabout

•  HelpspotenKalbuyers,students,employersunderstandimportantaspectsofyourartandtechniquesyouuse

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Artist’s Statement Ingredients

•  Whyyouliketomakeart•  Whatsubjectsyouprefer

•  Processandtechniques•  WhatdifferenKatesyourworkfromothers’

•  AspiraKons/goalsasarKst•  Who/whatinspiresyou

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Artist’s Statement Example

“ThechanginglightofdayandthemoodsitcreatesarethefoundaKonsofmywatercolors.MypainKngsusuallystartwithacoloridea,thenevolveintocomposiKonsinwhichcoloristheprimarysubject.Tome,artisasynthesisofmypersonalfeelings,thesubjectorcolorsthatinspiremeandmymaterialsandtechniques.Serenityandsimplicityaremyprimarygoals.“NitaLeland,www.nitaleland.com

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Writing Artist Statement Tips

•  KISSprinciple•  Writeinfirst‐person

•  Uselanguagethatanyonecanunderstand•  Everydaylanguage•  ReflectYOU•  TakeyourKme

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Artist’s Biography—What it is

•  YourlifebeforeandincludingbeinganarKst•  Severalparagraphs•  Usuallywribeninthirdperson

–  “PierreBonnardwasaFrenchpainter,bookillustrator,andetcher….”–  “KnownforherpercepKvedepicKonsofwomenandchildren,Mary

CassabwasoneofthefewAmericanarKstsacKveinthenineteenth‐centuryFrenchavant‐garde.”

–  “KadirNelsonbegandrawingattheageofthree….’IhavealwaysbeenanarKst,’Nelsonexplains.‘It’sinmyDNA.’Atageten,hisuncleMichaelMorris,anartinstructor,apprenKcedNelson.”

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Artist’s Biography – Why You Need it

•  HelpfultoolinpromoKnganarKstandhis/herwork

•  Providesbackgroundtotheaudience•  Opportunitytowriteprofessionally•  OpportunitytodisplayyourexperKseasanarKst

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Artist’s Biography Ingredients

BRIEFLY–1‐2pages•  Whereyou’refrom

•  Whereyouwenttoschool

•  HowdidyoubecomeanarKst

•  WhatdrivesyouasanarKst

•  Whereyouhaveshownyourwork

•  Whatyouaredoing/workingoncurrently

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Artist’s Biography Examples •  “KadirNelsonbegandrawingattheageofthree…..hewas

grantedanartscholarshipatPrabInsKtuteinBrooklyn….UpongraduaKngwithhonors,NelsonbeganhisprofessionasanarKst,publishinghisworkandreceivingcommissions…”

•  “In1999,Nelsonbegantocollaborate……”•  “Mostrecently,Nelsonreleasedhisauthorialdebut,…..”•  “Nelsonalsoexhibitshisworkingalleriesandmuseums…..”

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Artist’s Biography Examples – cont.

•  MichaelJaniswasborninChicago,IL.HelivesandworksinWashington,DC.

•  HefirstbeganworkingwithglassasanarchitectinAustralia,wherehisprojectsreceivedinternaKonalawards.

•  Hisarchitecturaldisciplineisevidentinhispreciseanddetailed“sgraffito”technique.

•  JaniscurrentlyworksasCo‐DirectorandinstructoratWashingtonGlassSchool.

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Artist’s Biography Tips

•  Gaugetheappropriatelength•  Refertootherexamplesifyougetstuck

•  VisitotherarKsts’websites•  Writeprofessionally–thirdperson

•  Proofreadyouwork•  Haveitreadbya“coldreader”

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The Resume/CV – What is it?

•  Tooltohelppromoteyou,thearKst•  ChronologicalhistoryofthearKst

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Artist’s Resume – The Ingredients

– Listeverythingyou’veeverdoneincluding•  EducaKon•  Awards&honors•  Soloshows•  Communitywork

•  Residencies•  Teaching

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Artist’s Resume – The Ingredients

•  Professionaldevelopment

•  Mediacoverage•  CollecKons–public•  CollecKons–private

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Artist’s Resume - Example •  Name/e‐mail/website/phonenumber(centered)

•  Educa9on–  1972‐1974U.ofSouthCarolina.HighSchoolArtEducaKon;MEDRemedialReading

–  1968‐1972ColumbiaCollege,Columbia,SCFocus:PainKng,Drawing,Sculpture

•  SupplementaryEduca9on–  2008‐10WeisserGlassStudio,Kensington,MD.Classesinstainedglass;glassfusing,curng,workingwithhotglass,andotherrelatedtechniques;imagetransferwithSusanTaylorGlasgow.

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Artist’s Resume - Example •  SupplementaryEduca9on

–  2007‐08WashingtonGlassSchool,Mt.Rainier,MD.Classesusingfloat,90COEandotherglass;welding.

–  1967‐2006CorcoranSchoolofArt,Washington,DC.Summerhighschoolprogram;

TorpedoFactory,Alexandria,VA.GraphicDesign.

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Artist’s Resume - Example•  Exhibi9ons

–  2010StrathmoreMansion,BethesdaMD.August(Juried).GlenviewMansion,Rockville,MD.Genera&onsinGlass,3/28‐4/27.(Juried).

WeisserArtGallery,Kensington,MD.Evolve,1/23‐2/14.

–  2009ArtcraOsGallery,Annapolis,MD.Reflec&onsII.(Juried).

Artoma9c2009.Washington,DC.Over1000parKcipaKngarKstsand75,000visitors.

AnneMarieGardenGallery,Solomon’sIsland,MD.Celebra&ons.(Juried).

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Artist’s Resume - Example–  2009,cont.DelRayAr9sansGallery,Alexandria,VA.

ObjetD’Art,02/27‐03/22

CelebratetheArtofMaking,3/27–04/26 SpringOutsideMarket

HolidayMarket

………………………………………….

–  1968‐1976WoodrowWilsonHighSchool,Washington,DC;SouthCarolinaStateFair,Columbia,SC;ColumbiaCollegeLibrary,Columbia,SC;U.S.GeneralAccou&ngOffice,office‐wideartshow.

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Artist’s Resume - Example•  Awards

–  2009People’sChoiceAward,CelebratetheArtofMakingCurator’sPick,…...

–  2007BrashpoemforLiberace’sFolly,ArtomaKc.

……………

–  1976FirstPlaceforsculpture,LibleMan,…..

–  HonorableMenKon,SouthCarolinaStateFair.

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Artist’s Resume - Example•  Dona9ons

–  2009DelRayArKsans,UpbeatOseatAucKon…………….AlexandriaCommunityrowing,silentaucKon……..

–  2008InsKtuteofMusicalTradiKons,FairfaxStaKon,VA.

–  2007FoodandFriends,silentaucKon,Washington,DC.

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Artist’s Resume - Example

•  Addi9onalExperience,Reviews,Publica9ons–  IllustraKonsinmagazines,curaKng,postcarddesigns

– Newspaperfeatures,e.g.,inWashingtonPost,etc

•  RelatedProfessionalOrganiza9ons– DelRayArKsans,etc.guilds,artsocieKes,alliances

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The End

•  LastKps:– Usetheinternet– Google“HowtowriteanarKst’sstatement”– Google“WhatisanarKst’sbiography?– Google“ArKst’scvorarKst’sresume”

– Update,update,update

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