Writing an Artist’s Statement – 5 Tips

Hannah Piper Burns, a video and multimedia artist, art writer, and curator, shared her five tips for writing an outstanding artist’s statement with TheAbundantArtist.com.  Hannah serves as Communications Director for the Museum of Pocket Art and Research Club, and as Social Media Outreach Coordinator for artist and filmmaker Lynn Hershman Leeson.

“Artist statements: the bane of almost every artist’s existence!” says Hannah.  “Maybe it’s because artists are such visual thinkers, or maybe because it’s literally impossible to translate between mediums. Whatever the reason, writing a new statement is enough to make anyone pull out their hair. Am I right?“

Below is a quick overview of the five tips Hannah provides for improving any artist statement.  You can read more about these tips at TheAbundantArtist.com.

1. Start Off With a Bang.  Hannah suggests avoiding starting out with the words “My work is”, “My painting/drawing/sculpture/video/performance is inspired by”, or “In my work”.  She suggests taking a risk and standing out from the pack!

2. Less is More.  Hannah says her artist statement is six sentences long.  “If people need to read paragraph after paragraph, they might think your work can’t hold up on its own, and that is a big-time kiss of death,” she tells TheAbundantArtist.com. “So keep it short and sweet!“

3. Learn to Love Language. “Short doesn’t have to mean content-less,” Hannah says.  “Maximize your impact with unique, fascinating verbiage. You’re an artist, after all!” Hannah provides valuable tips for how to use onomatopoeia for effect, and also has recommendations on varying sentence length at her article on TheAbundantArtist.com.

4. The Words Should Match the Work.  Hannah suggests making sure your prose reflects the qualities of what it describes.  “Using verbs and adjectives that really match the qualities of your creative output will create a statement that both excites and informs,” she writes.  She recommends looking for inspiration online from those you admire or influence your work.  Artisans could also look to the art theory books gathering dust on shelves.

5. Get a Second Opinion.  “Just like when we make artwork, sometimes we are so involved in the process of writing a statement that it can be hard to be objective,” Hannah says.  For tips on how to make the most of a second opinion, be sure to read her article on TheAbundantArtist.com.

Looking for an example of a well-written artist’s statement?  You can see Hannah’s artist statement at her website.

A special thanks to Cory Huff (@AGoodHusband) for sharing Hannah’s article with the HandmadeMarketing.org community!  You can read more of the articles published by Cory at TheAbundantArtist.com.  Articles include website advice and outstanding interviews.

Get your tips and tricks published on HandmadeMarketing.org!  Tell us what you have found works best when writing an artist’s statement.  Our team publishes ideas from handmade sellers, artisans, and crafters.  Be sure to include links to your social media sites or handmade shop site in your article.  Sellers receive free press for lending their knowledge, and both new and experienced sellers alike get new ideas.  Share with HandmadeMarketing.org.