Writing & Art

An artist statement is a must for every artist. This document communicates what an artist's body of  work is about as well as the philosophies, inspirations, experiences, and processes that are a part of their creative practice in making their work. This a text that is always changing and evolving with the artists adn their work. 

An artist bio is brief description of the artist, their background, and what kind of work they make. Both statements and bios are included in professional packets when artists are applying to exhibit their work or for residencies, fellowships, and grants.

For gallery and museum exhibitions, wall text is the description of the show or exhibit mounted to the wall. The goal of this genre is to help the viewer understand the overall theme and encourage them to make connections between the various works on display. The style and tone of wall text should be reflective of the institution rather than the individual writing it.  

The first wall text I wrote for a student group show for my Studio Art Capstone. The second is for a show I curated using works from the Zillman Museum of Art's permanent collection during my internship with them. 

One of the primary ways for studio artists to build their CVs and earn money is through fellowships, grants, exhibitions, and residencies. Writing becomes a crucial skill in being able to achieve this. Proposals require flexibility in tayloring your writing to the audience for each proposal. At the same, every proposal has different guidelines and attention to detail  is also an important skill. I have provided samples for both a group exhibition and a fellowship proposal to demonstrate the differences that exist within this genre.

Academic research is another writing skill for students who want to a pursue a career in the art world. I've included my first art history research paper from my first year for a 100 level course and my recent essay for a 400 level course. This to demonstrate how much a student's writing and research skills will change throughout their academic career.