Artist biography writing examples
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Give it some historical or artistic context
You don’t need a long art history lesson—but help the reader place the artist in a broader landscape. It may also discuss the critical reception of their work, as well as any awards or recognition they have received.
Get to the point quickly
An artist bio should get to the point quickly.
Personally I don’t have a formal artist bio written and the only time I pull one together is when I am entering an art competition and it is part of the entry form.
When we write our artist biography we need to ask ourselves “Who is it for?” You should write to your audience and not to yourself.
An artist bio Is like an informal Resume
Writing an artist bio is a bit like a resume.
Whether they explore memory, migration, identity, or form, briefly describe the subjects or questions the artist returns to.
8. Instead, focus on the most significant or noteworthy ones.
When we write an Artist Bio:
- We are writing to a curator or collector.
- We want them to know our skills
- We want them to know our qualifications
- We want them to know what we are good at
- We want them to know what makes us so much better than the next person that the reader will want to invest in us, our art
- and finally we want them to know WHY we became an artist and why we are pursuing the arts.
Another pretentious artist is the last thing the world needs.
Here are some tips for writing an artist bio in your own voice:
- Start by brainstorming a list of the key points you want to convey about yourself and your work.
- Write in the first person (“I” instead of “the artist”).
- Use a conversational tone and avoid jargon or overly technical language.
- Highlight your unique qualities, experiences, and perspective.
- Include personal anecdotes or stories that illustrate your artistic journey.
- Focus on what motivates and inspires you as an artist.
- Be concise and to the point, keeping the reader’s attention in mind.
- Don’t be afraid to show some personality and express yourself creatively in the bio.
- Read your bio aloud to make sure it flows well and sounds natural.
- Have someone else read your bio and provide feedback on clarity and tone.
Here are some things not to include in your artist bio:
- Personal information that is not relevant to your art, such as your marital status or political beliefs.
- Negative or overly critical comments about other artists or art forms.
- A list of every single exhibition or show you have ever participated in.
I usually focus on themes around family and memory, especially related to immigration.
The next mistake is to fail to tell an interesting story about your journey as an artist.
How to Write an Artist Bio That Works
1. I will then dive into more details of each with examples you can use.:
Artist Biography:
- Focuses on the artist’s life and career, often including personal information and significant events or achievements.
- Written in third-person perspective.
- Typically includes a summary of the artist’s education, influences, and creative process, as well as critical reception and awards.
Artist Statement:
- Focuses on the artist’s creative process and artistic vision.
- Written in first-person perspective.
- Typically includes a description of the artist’s style, techniques, themes, and motivations, as well as any philosophical or conceptual ideas that inform the work.
Artist Profile:
- Similar to a bio, but typically shorter and more concise.
- Often used as a promotional tool on social media, artist directories, or other online platforms.
- May include a brief bio, statement, and selected images of the artist’s work.
- Generally less formal than a traditional bio or statement, and may be written in first or third person.
What is an artist biography (Artist bio)?
Before we start, you should understand the difference between an artist biography and an artist statement vs an artist profile.
Each one serves its own purpose and should be used for a specific goal in mind.
In its simplest form, an artist biography is a summary of you as an artist in a few paragraphs (some say 50 words is all you need).
It can feel cold, impersonal and detached.
Give people your “why” when creating an artist bio
When you write an artist biography I have found it to be actually quite harder than a resume. This is much harder to do than you may think.
If you must provide an artist biography in 50 words or less then focus on the key information and remove the filler words that we tend to use when describing ourselves and our achievements.
When creating a 50 words or less artist bio, use simple headings and bullet points and stick to the point.
“My name is [Insert your name].
It shows that you have a clear sense of your artistic identity and are able to communicate it effectively to others.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should sacrifice depth or detail in your bio. This is because artist bios can also be found in exhibition catalogs, art books, and online resources.
Put them in this order:
- Your name and where you live and where you typically work from
- Why you do what you do as an artist, that something you have known since you can remember or that specific experience.
- Those keywords that you used to describe your influences. Note: One take away from all the examples I researched (apart from Rita Ackermann) is that they were all badly formatted and hard to read.
So please take some time to ensure that your artist biography is formatted so that it is easy to read on a computer and also on a smartphone.
EVELYN SOSA
Cuban, born 1989
An Award winning photographer, Evelyn Sosa Rojas was born in 1989 in Havana, Cuba, where she still lives and work.
In her practice, since 2008, Sosa specializes in amazingly soulful portraits.
Sosa shows the power of femininity through photos of women in different familiar or intimate settings.
In 2016, Sosa was the winner of the Herman Puig Prize, awarded yearly to the best artist of the Body Photography Salon in Havana.
In her powerful series “Women’s portraits”, Sosa captures the very essence of each subject in a simple, sensual and compelling way.She had a retrospective exhibition covering the last 10 years of her career in 2011 at the Galeria da Cordoaria Nacional the exhibition was accompanied by a book published by Babel, with texts of among others: Jorge Silva Melo and Professor Luís Campos e Cunha. Born in [insert town/city/country] in [year]. You’ll find examples, tips, and resources to help you write in a way that feels clear, authentic, and true to your work.
Purpose, Tone, & Typical Use:
Format Purpose Tone Typical Use Artist Statement Explains your art– process, themes, and purpose Reflective, conceptual Exhibitions, portfolios, applications Artist Bio Introduces you as an artist-background, highlights, current focus Professional, factual Websites, programs, introductions About Me Casual way to describe your creative identity Friendly, conversational Instagram bios, studio websites, meet-the-artist blurbs Step-by-Step Examples:
Prompt questions:
- What materials do I love working with?
- What themes am I drawn to and why?
- What are 2–3 pieces that represent me right now?
- How do I want others to feel when they experience my work?
“I like art that tells personal stories.
Stay true to character and do not appear fake.
Why write an artist biography (bio). The list of accomplishments are not a laundry list and they appear at the bottom making you believe that accomplishments are a by product of inspiration and making art.
I quite like Rhian’s approach.
Larry Poons
Larry Poons also follows the more traditional approach to writing an artist biography.
You do not need to note the price it sold for or who purchased the artwork.
Where possible, link to any articles about you or your works that are of note.
How to write an artist biography about yourself
The best way to write an artist biography is to start looking at the artist biography examples found on the internet.
The hardest thing I found was collating all the information I wanted to include in my bio.