Category: ENG1101 Project #4

I choose to write an artist statement because it talks about the meaning and reasoning an artist came to when creating their work. Artist statements are made to be clear and concise, getting straight to the point without using too many fanciful words to confuse the intended audience. Most times Artist statements are short usually about 100 words or so, to keep the audience from losing interest and understanding the Artist’s process without them being there. The Artist Statement is considered as if not the most important part of an artist’s work since it helps the audience with the intended meaning of why the work was created.

While creating my work I used the software Adobe Photoshop for the general editing and look. The images I used were all pictures that I’ve taken over the years of my travels and adventures. They range from times exploring New York City to venturing off into Europe as well as other countries in the world. With these images alongside Photoshop, I used certain words to convey a feeling of inspiration to the public. I based all my images on the theme of Adventure so that those who see my work will be inspired to have their own adventure. Whether it be from the comforts of their neighborhood to the unknown places they have yet to experience from the world.

The process I went into starting the project was simply going through old pictures on my phone. I realized that I’ve seen and experienced only just a handful of what the world has to offer. From the vast beautiful landscapes, the awe-inspiring monuments to the different cultures and people. Seeing those pictures, I felt a sense of nostalgia making it feel as if I was back where I took them and a sense of adventure to go out to take new pictures much like the ones I rediscovered.

Artist Statements have a variety of intended audiences which can range from a gallery dealer, curator, or the general public. In my case, my intended audience is focused on the general public to mainly instill an inspired sense of adventure to create their own memories. Through my work, the public can see the wonder of simply exploring whether it be familiar or the unknown. Taking time out of your day to live in the moment and experience the now, that’s what I want people to take away from my work.

“Artist Statement Guidelines.” Getting Your Sh*t Together

part 4

I chose designer statement because I believe writing a designer statement is a lasting way to make an artists piece of work more understanding. My goal in a designer statement is to help the audience understand the meaning behind my work but also give them the freedom to be able to view my work in their eyes , for them to be bale to have their own opinion and critique.

One feature in a designer statement is the process. As a designer it’s helpful to introduce how the piece of art work was created to give the reader a better understanding and an imagination on how things were created based on my piece of work a lot of images were provided so how and when I took these pictures are really important. What I did was usually get a good perspective on the position that I was taking the picture. I Made sure that the image itself made sense , I also either took the image in the day or night. to have that beautiful lighting. I edited these images on photoshop and used certain effects and created a soothing image some with repetition. Another feature in a designer statement is the message . Many artist use the time to talk about their purpose on creating their artwork. It can be really helpful to the view and give them a better understanding on the why? how? and for what?. My message and or purpose on my artwork was mainly to send out positive vibes. My images are mostly consist of images I took in several places. The images are full of bright colors and lights. In my designer statement I talked about my strong interest in color and I talked about my process and explained what I used to create these images. I also explained my goal I planned to reach and I accomplished it fairly. As said in the article http://www.fitnyc.edu/writing-studio/guides/art-design-statements.php

by FIT I can promote my own work of art in the future starting now.

How do you write a designer statement? Well before you even Start your whole project you have to find a purpose to why you’ll be doing your piece of art work to be able to include in your designer stamens, as your creating your piece of artwork keep in mind how you think and how you create it. The process” take a few notes and write certain things yo want the audience to know about your art. Many people can confuse artist stamens with designer statements, but the difference is that in an artist stamens the artist usually completes a piece of work for a client and a designer is usually for themselves.

http://www.fitnyc.edu/writing-studio/guides/art-design-statements.php

http://martychappell.com/Handouts/Portfolio%20II/Designer%20Statement.pdf

I chose this format because I thought it was interesting and I want to know more details about this format/statement. Manifesto focuses on a group of people sharing a common perspective or a form of social and political philosophy. A manifesto is similar to an artist, design, vision, and mission statement. It is really all about you and your own style. Manifesto talks mostly about art, literature, or politics. It is a set of ideas where artists share their opinion, objective, and their point of view with one another.

My manifesto mainly involves in art. A manifesto statement is really all about you. The word manifesto comes from the Latin word known as manifestus. A manifesto can address any topic(s). It mostly talks about art, literature, or politics. Manifesto mainly is a set of ideas where artists share their opinions, objective, and their point of view and focus on a group of people sharing a common perspective or a form of social and political philosophy. 

Art is “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects” (Merriam-Webster). This definition of art doesn’t necessarily have to be self-drawn, painted, sculptured, and etc. In fact, it can be other more things that involve creating art. Creating something that you like and that’s meaningful to you. My creative statement is what makes me unique to others. I want to create something simple and also artistic in a way.

Why is manifesto different than any other statements out there? “…manifestos are often embraced by creative and political types, but you don’t have to be a writer, artist, or revolutionary to draw up your own personal manifesto” (HuffPost 2014). I said in the very beginning manifesto is mainly about you and your own creative style. You don’t necessarily have to be an artist or even a writer to write your own manifesto. To me the word manifesto sounds really complicated however, it is really simple. Writing a manifesto statement contains 5 simple steps you need to follow. First thing’s first you need to get inspired by your surroundings. What do I mean by the phrase get inspired? First things first, when writing your own manifesto you need to do research first so this way others won’t accuse you of plagiarism. Plagiarizing or copying other’s words really does lose the purpose of what your manifesto really is about or going to be about. Secondly, it is always important to take some notes. Always create simple notes and use those notes you’ve created to make your own manifesto. Third, write a rough draft. Writing a manifesto statement can be long but it can also be short, either way, it works fine. Next, put it away then proofread. After all the hard work, you have to rest and then proofread so it can be perfect just as you imagined. Last but not least, just live it at the end. After all, do you believe art is a feeling? “We create art because we need to react; react in anger, react in fear, react in love, adoration, peace, joy, healing, puzzlement, and complexity” (smartmore 2018). I agree with this person because art comes in many ways. Everything we see is like art based on emotions. One of my favorite art is called The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. The artwork itself is calming. It gives me a really good vibe. 

Sources used: 

Alexandra Franzen, 9 Nov. 2017, “How to Write a Manifesto.” www.alexandrafranzen.com/2015/12/31/manifesto/.

“Art Manifestos and Their Applications in Contemporary Design.” Smashing Magazine, 21 Feb. 2010, www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/02/art-manifestos-and-their-applications-in-contemporary-design/.

HuffPost, “How To Write Your Manifesto In 5 Steps.”, 10 Sept. 2014, www.huffpost.com/entry/write-manifesto_b_5575496.

Jeanette LeBlanc, “Write Your Manifesto by Jeanette LeBlanc.” www.jeanetteleblanc.com/manifesto/.

Merriam-webster, definition of art. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/art
Munro, André. “Manifesto.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Nov. 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/manifesto.

Swarthmore College, “Sample Manifestos by Swarthmore Students.” Arts & Social Change, 26 Sept. 2018, www.swarthmore.edu/arts-social-change/sample-manifestos-swarthmore-students.

Your life does not depend

 on someone else. Do what makes you happy.

             Don’t always try to please the certain someone.

Don’t let those negativities get in your way.

Don’t let your talents down.

             After all, it’s your life and not others. 

Life is all about expressing your own talents. 

Don’t let it get destroyed.

I chose an artist statement because an artist statement answers the questions what, which explains what the artist’s work is, why which goes further into details about the influences and inspirations, and how, which describes the process behind the work. An artist statement is composed of not-too-long sentences that use fancier terms to describe the work, unlike other statements that use regular, straight forward vocabulary. I chose to do an artist statement because I feel like my work would be better described in an artist statement, mainly because it answers the questions what, why and how which makes it more unique because artists have different ways of describing their work and artists get inspirations from different places. One feature of an artist statement is the description of how the artist made the work, the tools he/she used and how long it took to complete the work. I use different programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to alter images and combine them with texts to express my ideas, thoughts, and feelings. I use black and white images because I like the classic look and they tell different stories depending on how the audience wants to interpret them. I focus on making art based on my beliefs and the things that I want to accomplish and the things I live by. When I make a piece of art, I want the audience to get something from it. Another feature of an artist statement is a brief description of what inspired the artist to make the work, whether the artist got the inspiration from experience or another piece of art. I get a lot of my inspirations from people I look up to. I use my role models as inspiration to create art. One of the people I look up to is Lebron James. I look up to him not only because he plays sports and is famous, but because he is someone who made it to the big stage and had nothing as a kid. I also get inspired when I see black and white images. Sometimes I might see an ad campaign that’s in black and white and I get inspiration from that. Fashion brands like Dior use a lot of black and white images for their branding. I am also inspired by Roy Decavara, an African American artist who is known for engaging and imaging the lives of African Americans and jazz musicians in the communities where he lived using Noir style photography. Details about where the artist made the work, why the artist made the work and the history behind the artist’s work can also be found in an artist statement. Whenever I make a piece of work, there is always a reason behind it. Sometimes I make work to inspire myself, other times I make work to inspire others. I also make work when I feel like I need to express myself. Using Adobe Photoshop is a great way for me to share my ideas and my thoughts with the world. I don’t like to express myself verbally which is why combining texts and images always allows me to express myself more freely. An artist’s statement is also supposed to explain how your work fits in with the history of art practice. Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso both used collage as a distinctive form of art at the beginning of the 20th century. My art is similar to a collage but instead, I use black and white images to express my feelings. According to Artwork Archive,  “what to avoid when writing an artist statement”, “This isn’t a time to prove your background and knowledge of art theory and history. We trust that you have the accolades and education to be where you are” This indicates that unlike other designer statements, the purpose of an Artist statement is not to show that you have knowledge of art, the purpose is briefly to inform the audience about your work by answering the questions what, why and how.

“Artist Statement Guidelines.” Getting Your Sh*t Together, www.gyst-ink.com/artist-statement-guidelines.

MacFarlane, Rachel. “How to Write an Artist Statement.” Format, Format Magazine, 15 Sept. 2017, www.format.com/magazine/resources/art/how-to-write-artist-statement.

“What to Avoid When Writing Your Artist Statement.” Artwork Archive, www.artworkarchive.com/blog/what-to-avoid-when-writing-your-artist-statement.

“How to Write an Artist Statement.” – The Creative Independent, thecreativeindependent.com/guides/how-to-write-an-artist-statement/.

Why should we have an artist statement behind work? As a professional artist, you need more than just your work to get around the art world. Along with your portfolio, at a moment’s notice, you should have an artist’s statement available. An artist’s statement should be considered as important as your work. The artist’s observation of his or her own work is the connection between the viewers and the artist format. Sarah Hotchkiss a visual artist and writer in her article said “All that said, sitting down and writing clear, concise, and compelling sentences about your art is daunting. So don’t start with sentences. Ease your way into it with a writing exercise that feels exciting, or generative, or natural to you.” In my artist statement, I go into the details of all the techniques and the way how I create my works. The example in my statement is “My creative work includes drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic design, and concept design. I believe those insights in the art are practiced to find one’s talent and I find that my work is one that will influence others. I work These drawings are simultaneously representational and abstract, static and dynamic. The drawings communicate important qualities embedded throughout the faces of my work. I think of my installations as three-dimensional drawings I often use materials, such as micro pens and gel pens, to define space and form. In these works, I use pictures and text to create tension for the viewer to understand the importance of the cause. in particle things, I find most important is my passion to help animals from becoming endangered.” This goes in the work and details of the process that connects me to the viewer for them to understand. In this article by Agora Gallery says that “It will be used when submitting your portfolio to competitions, galleries, and museums. It can sometimes be displayed when people view your work in person or on your website.” An artist’s statement is an artist was for them to describe there work. The way it should be formated is a short verbal description so the viewer is able to understand. It’s not met to be a list of sentences that describe what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. It should be about the artist trying to communicate with the audience or viewer to have a conversation about your work. When writing out the statement there are a few different ways, the most popular is to describes your ambitions and your art. When you finish your artist statement you should review it and make sure it’s smooth and works. It’s never bad to ask for help from someone to hear it and give feedback. You should make “I” statements rather than “you” statements. Talk about what your art does for you, not what it’s supposed to do for the viewers. Statements about art can be very important to people who are at an art gallery, like visitors, students, and buyers who are interested in buying. There are many reasons an artist needs to make a statement like many famous artists. Jackson Pollock’s artist statement was “I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them. It doesn’t matter how the paint is put on, as long as something is said. On the floor, I am more at ease. I feel nearer, more part of the painting, since this way I can walk around it, work from the four sides and literally be in the painting. When I’m painting, I’m not aware of what I’m doing. It’s only after a get-acquainted period that I see what I’ve been about. I’ve no fears about making changes for the painting has a life of its own.” This great artist uses great language to tell how and why he creates such works of art to tell the viewer his point of view.

Bilici, A., Connell, D. O., Bernochi, R. de, Fortin, C., Kim, Hironyphos, … Fel Plata. (2018, December 19). How To Write An Artist Statement: Tips From The Art Experts. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://www.agora-gallery.com/advice/blog/2016/07/23/how-to-write-artist-statement/

Hotchkiss, S. How to write an artist statement. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://thecreativeindependent.com/guides/how-to-write-an-artist-statement/

Phillips, R., Phillips, R. P. R., Rosemary, Phillips, R., Pendergrass, M., Rebellicca, … Renee. Home. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://renee-phillips.com/art-and-artists-statements-by-famous-artists/