An Artist Statement is the Artist Voice

This is what our invitations looked like at the first draft

We all have read plenty of artists statement and artists have written several versions of them. Sometimes you read a statement that helps you understand the artwork or artist. Other times you cringe at the weird dark story you just had to endure. It is not easy to create an artist statement and some artists don't feel the need to explain their art.

 

 

I'm guilty of this last statement. I used to think that people should look and my artwork and they could or couldn't understand it, no difference to me. Well I was also just starting out, no one really explained an artist statement. Some professors prefer a short bio and others want a book. No one really breaks it down, maybe there is not a real way to do so.

What I have figured out through my trial and errors of writing my share of versions of my statement is that it is very important. (Yeah I was so wrong) The best way to explain the artist statement is our voice. I do not mean a full explanation of why you do art, or what made you an artist but a brief explanation of the overall picture of your art.

What I'm working on for my exhibit

This is my Senior year and on my last month before graduation. Its down to the last details of preparation to for my exhibit and that means my final draft of my artist statement. At least the last one of my college career unless I decide to go to grad school. So the dread has set in of coming up with all the right things to write.

This last semester has been different from the rest. Reason for this, my last two studio classes are apprenticeships. These two classes gave me the freedom to experiment. Which in art means so much. I have slowly started finding my voice in my art, although I didn't see it right away. Then last week it slapped me in the face. Then I decided to take a day off from school and sit at home and analyze my new discovery.

Invitation I designed for my friends & family

It took me most of the day, did a bit of research, brain stormed and voilà an artist statement I am proud of! Now it hasn't made it through the chopping block (my professors) but I have faith in it. As I read it to myself I could understand myself as an artist. When you are jotting down your thoughts it's not the same as reading the last piece.

Something that helped me a lot to put everything into words I could understand where these 5 questions I found in my research:

What am I doing?

How am I doing it?

Why am I doing it?

What influences me the most?

What do I want other people to understand about my art?

Fast forward to today...

I just left our big meeting for our Senior exhibit. I'm already pulling my hair and ready to yell into a pillow. The show is November 20th, so that means two weeks from today. Well deadline has been set to have everything ready by next Friday and hung. Wow, that gives me 5 days less. But one thing I can scratch off the list, artist statement. It passed the professors chopping block with very few changes.

This is the first time that many people see that much of my work at once. Same thing goes for my artist statement. After the exhibit I hope I get feedback from my family & friends. Good or bad I don't care as long as I get a reaction and hopefully they understand me as an artist.