CIA Library: Writing an Artist Statement: Finding guides to writing an artist statement

Writing Guides

Information about writing an artist statement is often embedded in books on broader subjects like art careers, grant proposals, etc. The books shown below are excellent places to start learning about writing effective artist statements.

Art-Write: the writing guide for visual artists by Vicki Amorose
Call Number: N 8351 .A7 A46 2013
This is a great place to start! In clear and direct language, this small book provides step-by-step advice on crafting an artist statement and writing for different stages in an artist's career.
I'd Rather Be in the Studio by Alyson Stanfield
Call Number: N8350 .S72 2019
ISBN: 9780983146230
Being perceived can be scary! This book provides tips for self-promotion; chapter 2, "My Art Speaks for Itself," has exercises for creating a successful artist statement.
Writing the Artist Statement: Revealing the True Spirit of Your Work. by Ariane Goodwin
Call Number: N 8351 .A7 G66 2002
Goodwin’s informal style gently coaches and encourages you through a variety of exercises to help you identify the ideas behind your art and to write about them in a way that connects with an audience.
The Practical Handbook for the Emerging Artist by Margaret Lazzari
Call Number: N 8350 .L39 2021
ISBN: 9780500296059
This handbook contains a plethora of information including how to describe your work and share it with others.
The Artist's Guide to Grant Writing: how to find funds and write foolproof proposals for the visual, literary, and performing artist by Gigi Rosenberg
Call Number: NX 705.5 .U6 R67 2010
Be sure to take a look at chapter 7 "Craft Your Artist Statement, Bio, and Résumé." It has a very useful list of artist statement “Dos” and “Don’ts.”
Getting Your Sh*t Together by Karen Atkinson
Call Number: N8350 .A85 2014
ISBN: 9781495392207
A guide to all of the sh*t you might deal with in your career including writing artist statements (pg 39).
Writing for the Visual Arts by Mashey Bernstein; George Yatchisin
Call Number: N 7476 .B47 2001
This book is filled with information from “How to write about your art” (chapter 2) to “Writing art manifestos: expressing your philosophy” (chapter 6) and “How to write grants and proposals” (chapter 8).
Writing about Art by Henry M. Sayre
Call Number: N 7476 .S29 2009
The focus of this book is on writing about someone else’s art, but this edition’s appendix entitled “A Short Guide to Usage and Style: The Rules and Principles Most Often Violated in Writing About Art” can be helpful when writing about your art.

The following databases can provide articles to help guide you in drafting an artist statement:

JSTOR
The JSTOR Archival Journal & Primary Source Collection provides full text access to the back files to thousands of scholarly periodicals in a variety of disciplines in humanities, arts and sciences, social sciences, and business. Coverage begins with the first issue of the journal, but stops 3 to 5 years (on average) from the current issue. Access also includes thousands of open access ebooks, ebooks licensed by CIA Library, and ARTstor images.
Art & Architecture Source
Articles, ebooks, and images covering antiques, architecture, art and art history, interior and landscape design, and much more.
Academic Search Complete
Scholarly collection with full text information in all areas of academic study. This is a great place to start your research.

How to narrow your search:

Use the advance search screen
Type "artist statement" in the first dialog box
Type "how to write" in the second dialog box
You can limit your search -- by type of material, to full text only, and by time period of the publication

Examples of articles that can be found through our databases:

Adamson, Glenn. “When Artists Write About Their Work,” American Craft, V. 72 # 3 (June/July 2012), 22-23.

This short essay attempts to answer the questions what are the purpose and elements of an “ideal” artist statement and is recommended by the CIA ceramics faculty.

Miller, Jo. “How to write an artist's statement,” Art Papers, V. 21 (September/October 1997), 35.

Though older, this article has solid advice.

Schreiber, Barbara."War of The Words," Art Papers Magazine V. 25 (Mar/Apr 2001), 10.

The focus of this article is writing an artist statement specifically designed for approaching shows.

These articles are also available in print in our library.

If you are off campus, you will need to log-in through a proxy server using the same username and password you use to log-on to a computer on campus.

There are numerous online guides to writing artist statements such as: