GALLERY OF
ARTISTS INPUT FORM
We are
trying to bring back an old fixture at the Firehouse Gallery - a notebook
featuring information on all currently exhibiting artists. One page will feature
contact and biographical information plus an artist’s statement, and a second,
facing page will feature photos of the artist’s work.
Please
print clearly, or type the info on another sheet. In addition, we would like you to supply
photo(s) of your work, a photo of yourself, and an artist’s statement – see
details below. This will all
be put together in a consistent format for every artist.
If there is any information you
would prefer not to have published, just leave it
blank.
1. Biographical/contact
information:
Name:
___________________________________________________________________________________
Address:
_________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________Email
address:__________________________________________________
Website address,
if any:
_____________________________________________________________________
Place of Birth:
_________________________________________ Lived in
Occupation:
______________________________________________________________________________
Shows you have
exhibited in:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Awards:
________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Location of works
on display
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Artist’s
Statement
Please attach an “Artist’s
Statement.” Keep length so that it
will fit on no more than 1/2 of an 8.5 x 11 page. If you are unsure how to write this, see
the article printed on the back of this form for
guidelines.
3. Photo of
yourself
Please enclose a photo of yourself
to be included on the biography/contact page. It will be reduced to about 2” x 3” if
larger. It can be submitted as an
actual photo (not to be returned) that we can scan, or as a digital .jpg file
which can be emailed to Julie (see below).
4. Photo(s) of your artwork
These will fill the second page –
page will be 8.5” x 11” vertical.
You can either fill the page with one photo, or use several smaller
ones. You may use captions if you
wish (name, size, medium). If you wish to create your own page,
print it out and submit as finished. Please include your name at the top of
the page so we don’t get them mixed up when putting the book together. If you glue photos onto a page, we will
scan the whole page to make it consistent with others. If you wish to have Julie set up the
page for you, submit the photos and captions (can be digital .jpg files or
actual photos) and any suggestions about how you wish it to
look.
5. How to submit
Please submit all 4 items listed
above either by mailing to the gallery, dropping it off at the gallery (ask
docent to put in Julie’s box), or emailing directly to Julie. If emailing, you can attach .doc
(preferred) or .pdf files for text or you can put it
in the body of the email. Photos
should be attached as .jpg files.
If you create your own photo page, it could be emailed as .doc, .jpg, or
.pub files, or you can print it yourself. Call Julie if any
questions.
Gallery
mailing address:
Julie
McCue’s email:
julieq@wave.bicv.net
Phone: 884-5132
Thank you
for helping us to create this useful addition to the Firehouse
Gallery!
GUIDELINES ON
WRITING AN ARTIST’S STATEMENT
What is an Artist’s
Statement?
An artist’s statement is a short
document written by the artist which tells what, how and why you create your
artwork. It describes the artist’s
creative process, philosophy, vision, unique elements, and passion, as well as
influences. It
reads easily, is
informative, and adds to the understanding of the artist. It should be easy to
understand, and not pretentious.
An artist’s statement is not
a resumé, biography, list of accomplishments or
awards. It is a way to help the potential client better understand your
creative process, and should discuss your art, not
yourself.
What information should be
included?
Try discussing the following basic
issues:
Medium and
technique
·
What medium did you choose?
·
What qualities drew you to it?
·
What is unique about the way you
apply this medium?
·
How much time is spent creating your
pieces?
Style, compositional forms, and
subject matter
·
What artists or schools have
influenced you?
·
How does your artwork differ from
other artists?
·
Is there a narrative in your
work? If so, can you describe
it?
·
Do you focus on a particular subject
matter? Why?
·
How would you describe your
style?
Vision or purpose of your
work
·
Why do you create art and what does
it mean to you?
·
How does the creation of art make
you feel? What emotions do you wish to convey?
·
What inspires you? How are your
inspirations expressed in your work?
·
What message are you trying to
convey to the viewer?
·
How is your work a reflection of
you?
·
What is your
vision/philosophy?
·
What are your goals for the
future?
How long should it
be?
For our purposes here, your audience
is probably not going to have the patience to read a long statement., so better to err on the shorter side. We only have room for a maximum of ½
page per artist
in our notebook. The
key is to express how you feel and create a statement that stands on its own and
makes you happy.
What kind of language should I
use?
Keep your statement clear and
concise. Abstractions, catch-phrases and esoteric terminology can leave the
reader baffled and bored. Avoid
flowery language and "artspeak".
Some specific terms you may wish to
mention in your statement are the elements of art (line, colour, shape, value, space, form, and texture), and the
principles of design (balance, emphasis, movement, harmony/unity, pattern,
rhythm, proportion, and variety). These terms have the advantage of being
art-related without being esoteric and pretentious. Use language that is
comfortable to you, and let your words flow.
If you have trouble verbalizing your
style, ask a friend to describe your work and relate how they feel about
it. Take notes and use this as a
base for your statement.