The 7 Most Common Mistakes Artists Make In Their Artist Statements and How to Avoid Them

An artist statement is a short paragraph or two that describes who you are and what you create. A statement is an excellent way to express your work and a valuable tool for finding a gallery, publisher and connecting with potential art collectors online.

A good statement summarizes who you are as an artist. The statement should answer the question, “Who are you, and what do you stand for?” It’s a great way to describe your art’s style and unique qualities to both new and existing fans of your work.

What exactly do you need to know about writing a statement and common mistakes to avoid? Read on to find out.

A Statement Without the Statement

A statement is an idea you want people to hold in their minds. It’s a view you want them to take away. It’s a perspective. Think of the message behind your art. You want viewers to remember you once they’ve finished reading your artist statement. What kind of feeling are you trying to get across?

Art is the way you express yourself. Your art should be a reflection of your personal views and beliefs. This means that it should have meaning and purpose for you. You should be able to describe what your art means to you. You should make sure that many people understand why you made your art and why you are selling art. The way you present yourself and your art will make a difference. How can you help people to know who you are? The more specific and detailed you are when describing your art, the more attention and interest you draw from people.

Not having a clear message behind your artist statement will tarnish your brand as an artist and make it more challenging to land a sale or have your artwork displayed in an art gallery. 

Having an artistic statement or mission statement is a great way to define who you are as an artist and how your artwork should be interpreted. An artist’s statement is not only an essential part of your art marketing materials, but it can also help you to sell your artwork more successfully. Your artistic statement should be written in a simple, direct style that compliments the main idea of your mission. It would be best to make your statements clear and concise, using an active voice. Avoid clichés and use plain, everyday words. In the end, the reader of your artist statement will want to know more about you. They want to know what kind of work you do and what type of art inspires you to create. It is important to always keep the reader in mind when you are writing about your artwork.

A Lack of Focus

For an artist’s statement to be successful, every phrase must be clear and concise. The information should be able to be understood within five seconds. Also, artists need to think about what type of audience they are trying to reach. The artist’s statement should be clear and concise enough to capture the reader’s attention but not so simple that it’s boring.

Writing with a cloudy mind or when there are a lot of distractions is a waste of time. The message you are trying to get across will be unclear, and spelling and grammar errors will be abundant. Make sure that you set aside time to write when there will be no distractions. 

When there are no distractions, and you have a clear mind, you can write the perfect statement. It will take a lot of discipline, and you must be motivated to write. It would be best if you also were organized. Make sure that you have a comfortable space to work. When you are organized and focused, you can get more done in less time. Have a goal in mind so that you can focus on writing. You mustn’t give up if you don’t achieve your goals.

Not Being Clear

If you don’t clearly and compellingly state what your product does or who your target audience is, your work will be more challenging to sell. When you write the artist’s statement, think about how you can best make the point about why someone should buy your product right now. Your artist’s statement should answer two questions. First, what is the problem you’re trying to solve? And second, what does the solution look like?

If you want to make a good impression on a potential buyer, you must write an influential artist’s statement. The information that you include in this document will help you get the attention of potential buyers and convince them to take a closer look at your work.

Confusing Words

We know that your artist statement is a brief introduction to you and what you do. Don’t use confusing, vague, or have more than one meaning. A good artist statement tells the reader who you are, what you do, and why they should pay attention to you. The words you use to describe your art and your art business should be clear and easy to understand.

The best way to write an artist statement is to make it easy to read. If you use many complex words, your reader will get confused and will not understand what you are trying to say. When writing an artist statement, keep in mind that your purpose is to give the reader information about who you are, what you do, and what you are about. The reader can’t read your artist statement if they do not understand the words you are using. Write an artist statement that makes sense. Use your best words to describe yourself and what you are doing. Be clear and concise. 

Cliché

A great way to avoid being a cliché is to be original. While it may sound trite, the best way to stand out from the crowd is to create something truly unique. Think about the type of people who will be reading your statement. What do they want to hear? How can you give them what they need without sounding like everyone else out there?

Bad Grammar

A strong artist statement helps you connect to your audience and gives you a place to start your conversation. When writing your artist statement, make sure you pay attention to the following: The first sentence. Your first sentence is the beginning of your conversation with your potential customers. Make sure it’s short, to the point, and has a clear call to action. The second sentence. The second sentence can be a little longer, as long as it’s still to the point and has a clear call to action. It should include what your art does for your audience.

When writing your statement, check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Noting will make you look like an amateur more than bad grammar and spelling mistakes. There are many tools available online to help you with grammar. 

Make sure that you pay close attention to your sentence structure and word choice. When you’re doing your work, write it straightforwardly. Don’t use too much slang. People who write in slang will not be taken seriously. Writing formally will help you to appear more professional. A person who is a good writer always uses proper grammar and spelling. If you are not a good writer, try to learn the appropriate ways of writing. It is always a good idea to write your work twice before publishing the piece. 

No Proof

Your art is the visual proof of your artist statement. Include one or two of your best pieces so people can also see the work you create.

Final Thoughts On Artist Statement Mistakes To Avoid

In conclusion, to avoid these mistakes, you must learn what works best for your work and your audience and apply those elements to your writing. If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to write robust, effective statements with your artwork.

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