Writing your Artist Statement
Your artist's statement is a focused description of your work and practice, usually written in the first person eg. “I”, “My”, “Our”.
For the Molly Morpeth Canaday Award, you have 100 words to get your ideas across.
What is an Artist Statement for?
An Artist Statement communicates the main concerns within your practice. It helps to consider it a shortcut to understanding what your artwork is about – so that our selection panel (who sometimes have limited time), can get an idea of your work in as short a time as possible.
What should I write in my Artist Statement?
Think about…
How? How do you make your work? Describe how your work is made. What kind of approach do you take to your mark making, colour palette and materials?
What? What are the main the subjects or ideas in your works? Look at the physical aspects of your work and describe them.
Why? Why do you do what you do? Is there a relationship between your imagery and the mediums you work with? What is the main idea behind your work?
Rather than simply stating how, what and why, try writing a few drafts to blend these ideas into a cohesive Artist Statement and make sure you are referring to the specific works you are entering into the competition. Be yourself.
Example: “In my oil paintings on canvas, I explore the significance of order in our domestic spaces. The uniformity of bathroom towels, soap, and tiles offers a sense of connection and control, fostering comfort amidst life's unpredictability. Home becomes a sanctuary where order shields against external chaos. “My Bath” delves into the various manifestations of this shield and the underlying ideologies. By manipulating familiar objects, I challenge the norms, fears, and unspoken regulations shaping our personal environments and behaviours. Through my work, I invite reflection on the subtle influences shaping our perceptions and interactions within the spaces we inhabit.”
Less formal: "In my oil paintings on canvas, I look at how important order is in our homes. The way bathroom towels, soap, and tiles are neatly arranged gives us a sense of connection and control, making us feel comfortable despite life's unpredictability. Home becomes a safe place where order protects us from the outside chaos. 'My Bath' examines different ways this protection shows up and the ideas behind it. By changing familiar objects, I question the norms, fears, and unspoken rules that shape our personal spaces and behaviors. Through my work, I encourage people to think about the subtle influences that shape how we see and interact with the places we live in."
Basic: "In my oil paintings, I show how important it is to have order in our homes. Neatly arranged bathroom towels, soap, and tiles make us feel connected and in control, which helps us feel safe when life is unpredictable. Our home becomes a safe place where order keeps the outside chaos away. 'My Bath' looks at the different ways this protection works and the ideas behind it. By changing everyday objects, I question the rules and fears that shape our spaces and behaviors. I want my work to make people think about how small details affect how we see and use our living spaces."
Handy tips...
Thanks to Clare McNamara, Blog Editor for the Jacksons Art Prize.
Your artist's statement is a focused description of your work and practice, usually written in the first person eg. “I”, “My”, “Our”.
For the Molly Morpeth Canaday Award, you have 100 words to get your ideas across.
What is an Artist Statement for?
An Artist Statement communicates the main concerns within your practice. It helps to consider it a shortcut to understanding what your artwork is about – so that our selection panel (who sometimes have limited time), can get an idea of your work in as short a time as possible.
What should I write in my Artist Statement?
Think about…
How? How do you make your work? Describe how your work is made. What kind of approach do you take to your mark making, colour palette and materials?
What? What are the main the subjects or ideas in your works? Look at the physical aspects of your work and describe them.
Why? Why do you do what you do? Is there a relationship between your imagery and the mediums you work with? What is the main idea behind your work?
Rather than simply stating how, what and why, try writing a few drafts to blend these ideas into a cohesive Artist Statement and make sure you are referring to the specific works you are entering into the competition. Be yourself.
Example: “In my oil paintings on canvas, I explore the significance of order in our domestic spaces. The uniformity of bathroom towels, soap, and tiles offers a sense of connection and control, fostering comfort amidst life's unpredictability. Home becomes a sanctuary where order shields against external chaos. “My Bath” delves into the various manifestations of this shield and the underlying ideologies. By manipulating familiar objects, I challenge the norms, fears, and unspoken regulations shaping our personal environments and behaviours. Through my work, I invite reflection on the subtle influences shaping our perceptions and interactions within the spaces we inhabit.”
Less formal: "In my oil paintings on canvas, I look at how important order is in our homes. The way bathroom towels, soap, and tiles are neatly arranged gives us a sense of connection and control, making us feel comfortable despite life's unpredictability. Home becomes a safe place where order protects us from the outside chaos. 'My Bath' examines different ways this protection shows up and the ideas behind it. By changing familiar objects, I question the norms, fears, and unspoken rules that shape our personal spaces and behaviors. Through my work, I encourage people to think about the subtle influences that shape how we see and interact with the places we live in."
Basic: "In my oil paintings, I show how important it is to have order in our homes. Neatly arranged bathroom towels, soap, and tiles make us feel connected and in control, which helps us feel safe when life is unpredictable. Our home becomes a safe place where order keeps the outside chaos away. 'My Bath' looks at the different ways this protection works and the ideas behind it. By changing everyday objects, I question the rules and fears that shape our spaces and behaviors. I want my work to make people think about how small details affect how we see and use our living spaces."
Handy tips...
- Write your artists statement out first in Word or Google Docs - that way you can save versions of it and have access to important tools like Word Count and Spell Check. Then when you are happy with it, cut and paste it into the Entry Form.
- Read it out loud to yourself or someone else, it sometimes helps to pick up grammatical errors.
Thanks to Clare McNamara, Blog Editor for the Jacksons Art Prize.