Writing my Artist Statement
There is actually a lot more to being an artist than painting gorgeous art. We actually need to do a fair bit of writing too.
From social media posts, to newsletters and yes, blog posts, writing is fairly synonymous with other day to day activities for artists. And then there is the big ticket writing - bios, cvs and the dreaded Artist Statement.
I think most artists do not like writing their Artist Statement. The fact that we have to revisit it regularly doesn't help.
Artist Statements are written to explain the art, the process, the context and anything else pertinent to the viewer when looking at our art. The most often heard cry from artists when it comes to explaining their art is "I wouldn't be an artist if I could explain it!" And yet, explain it we must.
Writing them is something courses, books, blog posts and experts have tried to help with and mostly it doesn't help at all, or not much. Following advice from these types of sources I've written extremely jargonistic and opaque statements that I hoped no one would understand because I certainly didn't. I've written poetic statements that weren't even designed to illuminate. And lately, I think I've written a pretty damn clear Artist Statement. One that I'm a little proud of and don't mind sharing - definitely a first!
I've added it to my website About page but my guess is you don't often visit there to check if it's been updated, so I'm posting it here because I think it's not only interesting but rather enjoyable to read. (Let me know if I'm right or wrong!)
But first, where did I learn to write a clear, simple and understandable Artist Statement? The Artists Business Lounge run by artist and business coach Amanda van Gils is the place. And I highly recommend it.
My art has always explored the 'extraordinary' that is hidden in the ‘ordinary'. I call myself a happiness enthusiast, although my personal relationship to happiness has been rocky. What I have learned is that happiness is a choice we make daily. My art is about sharing happiness, and reminding us of that choice.
My artistic process allows for limitless variation within self imposed constraints. For me this mirrors the opportunities for joy and humour in everyday life and relationships.
Using only simple shapes - circles and right-angled shapes - I construct the images. Colour is a vital ingredient and again I have constrained my options to a palette of ten, plus black and white.
To create my paintings I use a modified version of a process called mono-transfer. I begin by mixing a beautiful colour. I paint it onto a sheet of a special plastic and leave it to dry. Then I mix many versions of the same colour; some dark, some light, some intense, some muted. These too are painted onto plastic sheets and left to dry. The coloured sheets are then cut into circles and right-angled shapes - squares or rectangles. I use both the positive and negative shapes - that is the circle and the shape left when it was cut out. These are then assembled collage-like on wood panels and adhered with an acrylic polymer. The plastic is removed when the bond has dried. (I reuse or recycle as much of the plastic as is possible.)
Each painting is created in layers. The first layer activates my imagination. The second begins to tell me a story. The third and subsequent layers are where the image becomes clear to me. It is always a happy surprise.
For me the final step of my creative process happens when my art is placed in the viewers personal environment where it can continuously remind and evoke happiness.
Jan Allsopp
2021
So, what do you think? Is it simple and clear? Does it sound true to me? Does it convey my attitude to and encouragement of happiness? (You know I'm not smiles without substance, don't you?) Please let me know your thoughts in the comments (or email me). I appreciate each and every one.
Stay safe and happy!