Independent Professionals: What Stands Between You and Your Artist Statement?

What Stands Between You and Writing an Artist Statement or Professional Statement?

Is it a dry creek bed, or the Grand Canyon? A closed door, or the Chase Manhattan Bank vault? Or maybe, it's the whisper of many doubts: Artist statements are so predictably icky. What can you say about your work that someone else can't simply see? What's the point of words for a visual experience? How am I going to be authentic, but not arrogant? Sincere, but not sentimental?

And yet, you know that pros consider artist statements an essential part of a good portfolio (or About Me pages essential to a web site). Gallery owners are relieved by your professionalism. People who love your work will know more about you. Offering your audience more ways to connect with you increases their delight, as well as the perceived value of your work. But, goodness, all those daunting words between here and there!

For artists, words are a completely different experience from the tactile world of art making. Paper and paint inhabit the world of our senses, while words remain the detached curios of our mind. If we're an Independent Professional, we want to reserve center stage for our business. Once in a while, when the two worlds of work and words connect, language entices our senses and engages our imaginations, and we love it.

So what stops us from using words to describe our art? Tell about ourselves? These are the same words that have been with us since we could walk. What causes us to be deeply suspicious of language, one of our fundamental connections to being human?

The answer, in part, relates to a fatal combination of art critics and education. Art critics use language as scepters of judgment. If words are the messengers that determine our self-worth, then by all means, kill the messenger. Formal education uses language as bastions of control. If we are told when, where and how we can, or cannot, use which words, we grow to mistrust our relationship to language. The mistrust smolders underground, mostly unnoticed, until our words are thrust into a container, like the artist statement or About Me/Us web page.

Suddenly, words make us visible targets for judgment and criticism, so we hide our discomfort at this possibility with what we consider rational responses. "My work speaks for itself." "Statements are inconsequential to my work." "I have nothing to say that my work doesn't already convey." And the list goes on.

An opportunity, like writing a personal or artist statement, often causes us to second guess every idea we ever had about our work. We convince ourselves that we have nothing, really, to say, or for certain, nothing of value. Our first instinct is to either turn off the light and head out of the studio or office, or pump up our peacock feathers.

But running away only confirms our unspoken fear: there must be something to run away from. And pumping up encourages us to use flimsy or pretentious words to smother over our mistrust of language. This, in turn, fuels our perception that language related to our work is simply ludicrous.

Luckily, there is an alternative. Try pretending, that you have a lot to say, which is neither self-important nor trivial, but relevant and revealing. Imagine that all of your objections have been met and you are simply going to write whatever you believe to be true, at the moment, about your relationship to your work. Because, the good news is: you can recover your own words.

Why and how do you do what you do?

There is an unselfconscious language about your work, which you use all the time. Every time you talk or think about your work, you create a relationship between words and your choosen passion. The trick is to learn how to catch yourself doing this, and then faithfully write it down. Yup, I said: write it down. How else will you engage that part of your brain for continued support and help?

But why bother at all?

Because an artist statement or personal statement builds a compelling bridge between you and your audience. An inspiring statement gives the people who see your work another reason to remember you. It's reinforcement, clean and simple. And there's not an artist or independent professional around who can't use a little extra reinforcement to make it's way through the crowd.

Equally important, a statement gives you the opportunity to see what you do through the eyes of language, to validate your creation and profession from a new perspective. Really, you can't lose! You can only procrastinate.

Want to get started? Try this:

--TAKE care: Treat your statement with the same care that your treat your work; after all, all of it is you.

--GATHER raw materials: Use a notebook that is lovely or practical and keep it with you in the studio, in the car, in the office, beside your bed and take a few weeks to catch any fleeting thoughts that come to you about your work. Give your self permission to gather. Selecting and sorting comes later, when you have enough in your basket. Find a writing pen or pencil that flows smoothly across the surface. Make it a tacticle pleasure.

--TIME: Make a specific date with yourself. Respect this time. Do not tolerate interruptions.

--PERPARE your internal space: Close your eyes and conjure up your worst critic. In your mind's eye, lead this person out of the room. Give them another task, besides breathing over your shoulder, say, climbing a tree, skipping stones, or going to the local library. Tell your critic not to come back until you are ready. Critics are terrified of being abandoned, that's why they are so tenacious, so reassure yours that there will be a place set just for them at the editing and revision table. Critics are also stubborn. You may have to do this more than once.

--WRITE more than one: Like different works of art, a statement also thrives on change and rising out of "the moment." What suits this month's work may not work for the next month. Independent professionals need to revisit their intentions from time to time, and writing a new personal statement gets the juices flowing.

--GIVE yourself permission to make mistakes: Let yourself write badly. Crumple up lots of paper balls and throw them in a corner. It's the beginner's way. Then, when it comes out great, which it eventually will, you will know the difference.

--WRITE as much as you want: Winnowing down is so much easier than filling in later.

--DON'T hesitate to ask a professional: Some things just beg for help. If you find yourself endlessly circling a dead pigeon, really?aren't there other things you'd rather do and still get that statement written?

Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D. Coach / Writer / Creative Thinker, helps you develop your career and present your work with fewer struggles and more credibility. Call: 413.659.3307 (9-5 EST) Or email: goodwin@artist-statement.com Find "Writing The Artist Statement: Revealing The True Spirit Of Your Work" at www.artist-statement.com --Copywrite August 2004, Reprint by permission only from goodwin@artist-statement.com

---

The Death of Product Packaging as We Know It.

It used to be you that if you had a... Read More

11 Powerful Marketing Tips

Each of these 11 marketing tips is based on a... Read More

Deciphering Marketing Lingo: Whats the Difference between a USP, Single Message and a Tagline?

Maybe you've heard these different marketing terms, maybe you haven't.... Read More

Ten Easy Marketing Tasks You Can Do NOW

Who says scientists can't market? Here are 10 easy marketing... Read More

Tips For Developing An Effective Questionnaire

Developing the questionnaire is undoubtedly the most important part of... Read More

The Marketing Recipe: Money, Marketing and Me ? 3 Keys For Success

You have a great product or service? Now, how should... Read More

Do You Really Need a Brochure?

The phone rings. Good news... it's a potential client. You... Read More

Trade Show Display Booth ? A Marvelous Contact System

Trade show booths are one of the best direct contact... Read More

Blowing Your Own Horn

Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center At first you must think... Read More

Spice It Up! Rib Festival Teaches Us About Product Value

The Rib America Festival is a fun filled family event... Read More

Massage Therapists Can Now Make More Money

As a massage therapist, your income is usually limited by... Read More

Two Steps to Improving Your Marketing Success

Since the human brain seems to be able to focus... Read More

The Most Powerful Marketing Strategy Available To Small Businesses

Most small business owners want to generate huge profits, with... Read More

Marketing Operations Elevates Public Relations and Communications Professionals

Is your marketing department taking advantage of MOM and MRM?... Read More

Easy Marketing Methods with Letters, Post Cards, Referrals and Testimonials

Easy Direct Marketing Methods for Insurance AgenciesThis Month: Strategies for... Read More

Copy SoapNet and Make Money

Whether you want to admit it or not, soap operas... Read More

How to Start a Big Mail Service

A BIG MAIL SHOULD CONTAIN:At least three to four Mail... Read More

Baby Boomers - Marketing to the Me Generation

Unless you've been in a dimly lit cavern for the... Read More

Loan Officer Marketing ? How Branding Shapes Your Prospects Perceptions

Social scientists have proven that people experience what they come... Read More

Marketing on the Cheap: Write? Right!!

We all know the value of writing articles for promoting... Read More

Loyalty Cards Systems ? Beware, Some Should Be Avoided

Recently, I discussed a loyalty card system with a vendor... Read More

Costly Web Copy Pitfalls

One secret to a site that sells: Look at your... Read More

Use a Guarantee In Your Headline To Increase Trust

Sometimes you can use a guarantee effectively in your headline.... Read More

Custom Lanyards - The Perfect Solution for Promotion, Branding, and Marketing

Lanyards are fast becoming the new "must have" promotional item.Events... Read More

How to Use Direct Response Post Card Decks as a Valuable Market Research Tool

Market research specialists have discovered a new tool which enables... Read More

The Importance of Interpersonal Communcation Skills

Interpersonal Communications is the transmission of information from one person... Read More

Network Marketing Is Definitely A Relationship Business

Heavily branded websites like amazon.com are household names and carry... Read More

Get FREE Web Tips From Your Competition

I knew this one would get your attention. How can... Read More

15 Commandments Of Creating A Wealth Pulling Niche

Niches are like bathrooms; you never notice them until you... Read More

Features and Benefits Brainstorming

This is it what I use BEFORE I begin to... Read More

Is Your 4X4 Trail Rated?

"Traction. Articulation. Ground Clearance. Maneuverability. Water Fording. We've put your... Read More

Does The Market Really Want It?

At the very heart of any successful marketing strategy is... Read More

Getting Your Marketing Message Across with CD Business Cards

CD Business cards allows any type of business that dynamic... Read More