Portfolio – The Artist Statement
An artist’s statement should be included with your portfolio. Writing an artist’s statement should be one of the first steps in developing your portfolio. Doing so will make image selection and all that follows much easier than waiting until the end. Here is a brief “how-to”. The following information is summarized from the following website –
What is an Artist’s Statement?
An artist’s statement is a short document written by the artist which provides a window into the artist’s world. It offers insight into a single piece or an entire body of work and by describing the artist’s creative process, philosophy, vision, and passion. It enlightens and engages while at the same time giving the audience – potential buyers, exhibition curators, critics, fellow artists, or casual browsers –the freedom to draw their own conclusions. An artist’s statement reads easily, is informative, and adds other understanding of the artist.
What isn’t an Artist’s Statement?
An artist’s statement is not a résumé, a biography, a list of accomplishments and awards, a summary of exhibitions, or a catalog of works. It is not insignificant and should not be hastily written. It is not difficult to understand, pretentious, irritating, or (gasp!) laughter-provoking.
How long should it be?
Remember that people usually don’t have the patience to spend a lot of time reading, so it’s better to err on the shorter side. Several sources recommend an artist’s statement be around 100 words.