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A
subscriber wrote in and asked the following question.
Q:
I give a resume, several photographs and an artist's statement
to anyone who asks about my art. Several collectors have told
me that my statement is a little hard to understand and that
maybe I should simplify it a bit. My response is that it
accurately represents what I do and, although I never say
this, the ones who make these comments don't usually know that
much about art. Any suggestions?
Faith
Hi
Faith
One
of the more sticky points that many artists tend to overlook,
the dreaded Artists Statement! There is a lot of info
out there in cyberspace about Artists Statement, and below is
a compilation of info that I have picked up over time.
Read…Read…Read…..
Make a few trips to your local library and read up on
artist’s statements and the proper way to make up a good
one. They are more important than you realize. They
can make a difference to a possible sale especially if a
gallery owner is involved. Some tips follow.
A:
Clarify your statement. Anyone who asks about your art is a
potential buyer and when they ask, you should do everything in
your power to answer their questions. The fact that some
collectors have difficulty understanding you could very well
mean that a lot more have similar experiences, but just don't
say anything. After all, most people keep contrary opinions to
themselves.
Think
of collectors who comment as trying to help you rather than as
not knowing enough about art. Many artists spend so much time
around other artists and art people that they're often out of
touch with what average buyers do or do not know. Artist
statements that are peppered with art jargon or artspeak may
sound great and make perfect sense to insiders, but mean
little or nothing to everyone else. If you get too complicated
for average buyers to understand, you can end up losing sales.
Let
people enjoy your art, draw their own conclusions, and learn
about it comfortably. Keep your statement and other
introductory materials clear and to the point. You want to
hold readers' attention without being intimidating. The longer
they spend looking at your art, and the better they understand
your statement, the greater your chances of making sales.
If
you decide to rework or simplify your current statement, ask
collectors where they get confused and how they think you can
better explain yourself. You don't have to do every single
thing everyone says, but if you ask enough people, the types
of changes you need to make will become clear. Pay special
attention those few brave folks who come forward and
voluntarily share their feelings with you. They probably have
the most well thought out suggestions of anyone.
Several
additional pointers:
*
Be brief. Two or three paragraphs of no more than three
sentences each is a good length for an introductory statement.
*
Tell why you create your art and what it means to you.
*
Appeal to the emotions. Convey feeling about your art.
*
Avoid complex explanations, obscure references, and artspeak.
*
Try not to categorize your work or compare yourself to others.
*
Use language that everyone can understand.
Thanks
for writing in and good luck with your career
David
Brougham
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| This gallery shows examples of some of our most recent work, including traditional watercolors and more modern abstract subjects. Click on other subject galleries to see more of our paintings.
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Treeline Studio
70-4125 Interurban
Victoria, B.C.
V8Z4W8 Canada
Phone:
(250) 479-7885
Fax:
(250) 704-1056
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TreeLine Studio Victoria, B.C. Canada
