If you’re an artist or craftsperson offering your art in
stores and galleries, you need an artist’s statement. Do you have one? If
not, you’re missing out on a great marketing tool.

Artist’s statements vary in length, form, and the
material presented. Generally, though, an artist’s statement should let
readers know a bit about your background, include a few sentences about what
you believe to be the most important aspects of your art, and describe the
techniques, materials, and tools you use to create it.

Here are just a few ways your artist’s statement can be
used to promote your art:

1. It can help art consultants, gallery owners, and store

salespeople better understand your work. The more they know about what you
do, the better they are able to sell your work.

2. It helps reviewers, biographers, and reporters write
reviews, profiles, and articles about you. They don’t need to call you or
meet with you for an interview. They simply use material from your
statement, and other information from the store or gallery owner, to craft
an announcement or review of your work for their newspaper or other
publication.

3. It can be used to submit with grant applications and
project proposals. Since your artist’s statement offers a short explanation
of your work and the techniques you use, it is a good summary piece to
include with slides, photos, or other samples of your work when applying for
funding.

4. It can encourage viewers to purchase your work because
they may feel a deeper connection to your art after reading about it (and
you) in your artist’s statement.

If you’ve put off writing your own artist’s statement
because you’ve found it difficult to "toot your own horn," so to speak, then
hire a professional writer to write your statement for you. Your artist’s
statement will become one of the most valuable marketing tools you’ll use to
promote your art.