The results of the EBSQ Juried Artists spring jurying session were just released the other night. And one of the most cited reasons artists weren’t admitted was because of their artist statements, or lack thereof. Artist statements are a required element for juried applications, and with good reason. I know a lot of you think they’re pretentious artistic BS but they serve a very real purpose. They help people find you. Every word you write online is catalogued by search engines like Google and Yahoo. They also help people find you on this site. We’re often asked, “I had the perfect piece for Art of the Day last week; why wasn’t my work selected?” and when we go to view that portfolio, we do indeed see a perfect piece listed as “untitled” with no text about it whatsoever. If we can’t find your painting of x when searching the site for it specifically, how are others going to find you that perhaps never realized they were looking for exactly what you just created in your studio last week? “Hmph,” you say. “My art can speak for itself,” but not from the search engine’s point of view. Tell us something, anything, that is unique about your art. Maybe you’ve been really interested in texture lately. Or are on a mad India ink kick. Let us know! Your text is your voice. It helps set your work apart. It humanizes you as an artist. Don’t give us some generic, or worse yet, phony baloney bogus gallery spiel either. Be your authentic self.
Another criticism I saw fairly often in the jurors comments to applicants was that some statements were geared toward a specific sales venue, and while at times expansive, said nothing (or little) about the actual art. Now, there’s nothing wrong with including your marketing spiel per se. But when seen out of context, it’s confusing to the viewer. Keep in mind that in all likelihood, your piece will be viewable here for much longer than the duration of an auction on eBay, for example. Make sure your text is appropriate for the long haul!
Poor photography was also a culprit. On the internet, you are only as good as your online presentation. Take the time to properly crop your images. And if you can’t photograph your work to save your life, hire someone who can. It is money well spent. It doesn’t matter how amazing your art is; if you don’t present it well, you ultimately end up looking like a hack. Don’t settle for mediocrity!
Ok, so you weren’t among the 45 people who bravely put their work forward for consideration into our juried group this past spring. What does any of the above have to do with you? Everything. We can always go that extra mile to take our online presentation from “adequate” to “exceptional.” I know I personally am of the “less-is-more-artist-statement” school of thought and I know this isn’t good for my work’s visibility. (mental note–set aside time to write better artists statements this month!) Sometimes if you feel you don’t have anything to say about your work, pretend you’re describing someone else’s work. Step back, look at your art with new eyes. It’s pretty fantastic, isn’t it? Don’t just sit there. Tell us about it.
Amie Gillingham, editor
1 June 2007
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