If I read one more time the trope of the artist who can’t/doesn’t want to write I’m going to scream. This commonly used introduction aimed at artists launches into all the whys an artist should learn how. Let me put it this way:
Some people are artists. Some people don’t like to write. Not all people who are artists don’t like to or cannot write. I find that generalization both annoying and insulting. Most artists I know are motivated and intelligent and are well able to communicate through the written word.
The challenge lies in simply in finding the best means and modes to communicate about art with the world.
There are two kinds of communication:
The nuts and bolts, for instance what goes into your writing dossier – the must haves for a full professional writing dossier or portfolio. (Bio, Artist Statement, Resume) Grants, residency applications and proposals fall into the nuts and bolts category but you’ll be writing these on an ad hoc basis so these are not addressed here.
The icing on the cake, that is, how you communicate about yourself and your art to the world. This includes the ‘My Story’ section on your website, your blog and Facebook posts – anywhere that you wish to share your artistic journey with the world.
Beating the overwhelm factor
The biggest single challenge to writing for anyone may perhaps be overwhelm. Where do you start?
Tackling the nuts and bolts first gives you a foundation on which to build. Factual and perhaps tedious, (if you haven’t already documented your past achievements) the bio and resume can easily be completed in an afternoon. Impatience and boredom are your adversaries here. Get these done first and breathe a sigh of relief before tackling your artist statement.
The artist statement is the most difficult of the three pieces you need to create for your writing portfolio. It requires you to dig deep to get to the heart of why it is you do what you do. It involves an emotional component not required of bio or resume. I’m always an advocate of Googling samples and I also strongly recommend Ariane Godwin’s book, Writing the Artist Statement.
A handy little workbook, Writing the Artist Statement requires a dedicated chunk of time. I prefer to block out a whole day. The exercises within are designed to help you define your work and its purpose. Don’t be tempted to skip any of them. Don’t discount any of them in a rush to get to the end. I won’t give away some of the most powerful exercises that yield totally unexpected results. I will say, however, that they can release hidden emotions or motivations you may not realize exist within you. Finding the things that motivate you, that give your work a true raison d’être serves not only to strengthen your statement but also to affirm your identity as an artist. What I also appreciate is that as you grow as an artist and your work develops, you can use the book over and over and it will continue to give the same quality of results, though of course they will be different since you’re not the same person who wrote your artist statement last year or the year before.
After you’ve written your first draft, put it away for a few days to a week. Take a look at it with fresh eyes and make any changes you think it needs. Show it to trusted fellow artists. Take their advice with a grain of salt. Remember that the purpose of this piece is to explain the big Why. Then go for it.
More about the icing on the cake soon!
If you’ve written an artist statement that you’d like reviewed or edited, please contact me. If you are still agonizing over it way too much, get in touch and we’ll do it together.
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