Biography on a artist
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What I found was when I just did a brain dump without putting my thought into dates etc it was easier.
The first things you should do, using sticky notes:
- Collect and organise any courses you have completed.
My influences were [insert influences].
It was here that I realized that I wanted to pursue my career in this field.
I believe that being an artist is something that one is born to do an not learned at school, I went on to study through practical experience, learning through trial and error and self learning studying the works of [insert influences] as my teachers.
It was here that I furthered expanded on my knowledge in [insert fields of interest], where I [insert key achievements].
I work primarily in [insert mediums] and I currently work from [insert location] and [any other locations of interest].“
50 word artist bio example
Describe yourself in 50 words or less.
Her pieces often explore the intersection of personal history and collective memory, drawing inspiration from the raw energy of Abstract Expressionism and the playful irony of Pop Art.”
Step 5: Include Professional Highlights
Showcase your credibility with a few key accomplishments. Born in the Peruvian Andes and shaped by Lima’s muted grays, I have always sought light—first in the highlands of my childhood, then in the Caribbean, where the sun ignites color with a fierce intensity.
My work is an ode to this luminosity, an exploration of vibrancy, movement, and emotion.
Though this does not guarantee that you are as good an artist as any other.
Artist Biography for Qualified Artists
Many contemporary artists have some form of qualification they will include in their artist biography. It includes education, exhibitions, awards, and career milestones. In 2013 launches a book together with Harvard Professor, Allan Hobson – “ Creativity”.
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].
The purpose of an artist statement is to give anyone looking at your work some context around why you work a certain way so that they can either connect with you or the subject matter.
- The key achievements you have had so far in your art career.
Now that you have put all the raw data into some meaningful order, you just need to pad these out into properly worded paragraphs and ensure that they have a natural flow to them.
If you find that hard to do then take a look at some real artist biography examples to draw inspiration from.
This section can overlap with your artistic journey but should focus on external validation. The revised version distills the essence of his work, strengthens the imagery, and makes the connections between his experiences and artistic choices more inten- tional. Include:
- Your Name and Medium: Clearly state your full name and the mediums you work in (e.g., painting, sculpture, printmaking).
- Location: Mention where you’re based, as this can provide geographical context (e.g., “Based in Brooklyn, New York”).
- Education or Training: If relevant, include your formal education (e.g., “Holds an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design”) or notable mentorships.
Example:
“Jane Doe is a painter and sculptor based in Chicago, Illinois.
Using the template above, I have modified it to make it suitable for self taught artists.
The focus for a self taught artist is to focus on your practical experience and what you did in lieu of formal training.
“My name is [Insert your name], I was born in [insert town/city/country] in [year]. Movements as Monuments’, Milan, Italy
VIEWING ROOM, Marlborough Contemporary, ‘Rita Ackermann and Carol Rama: Body Matters’, New York NY
How to write an artist biography using a template
You can follow this simple template if you want to skip the sticky note exercise from the previous steps.
I work primarily in [insert main medium]
My influences are [insert influences].
I obtained a [insert qualification] from [institution].
(I am represented by [insert gallery]) or (I have exhibited in [insert shows]) or (I have won [insert main prizes])
I currently work from [insert location] and [any other locations of interest].“
Still struggling to write an Artist Bio?
I found this cool site, it generates artist statements and biographies.
Unless your artist biography was actually written by a third person I disagree with this advice. Below is an original statement by artist Jesús Rojas (jesusrojas.id.art), followed by an edited version by Alexandra Laqueur, Managing Director at European Cultural Academy (ECA.art) demonstrating how structure, clarity, and voice can elevate a statement.
Original by Jesús Rojas:
Original Statement by Jesús Rojas:
“I was born in the Peruvian Andes but grew up in Lima, a cold, gray and complicated city that forced me to escape with my imagination, adopting the light and bright colors of the Andes, where I traveled whenever I had a chance, escaping the bustle of the city; light and colors that I also found here, in the Caribbean.
When we write a resume we tend to be able to be more objective about our skills, work and achievements but with art, we are emotionally invested and being an artist is core to our self identity.
Types of artist biographies
Artist Biography for Self taught artists
Self taught artists may believe the lack of a formal qualification or training in the arts may preclude them from needing an artist biography.
I suffered from an inferiority complex for many years as I too am a self taught artist.
Self taught artists can usually do well with an artist profile instead of an artist bio as it can gloss over or skip over any need to highlight their qualifications.
So if you are a self taught artist, write your artist biography listing all your achievements, influences, showings, sales and include an artist statement.
Then when it comes to qualifications, highlight that you have been an artist for X amount of years, highlight your experience over any qualifications.
Experience can be better than education
Now I’ll get on my high horse..
Created by Professor Laura Tinti for the European Cultural Academy.
“There’s an ongoing debate about whether statements should be written in first or third person.
Otherwise your artist biography and artist statement should read like any other.
Artist Biography for Beginner artist biography
When you are a beginner artist your experience will be little, you may not have even had a showing yet and you may not have any qualifications.
When I was 17 I entered the Doug Moran National Portrait prize (in Australia) which is a $100,000 Acquisitive portrait prize.
I had about 5 years of artist experience under my belt, 1 showing in my high school where I won first prize for a portrait of Marilyn Monroe and 2 sales of my paintings.
The prizes required I submit an artist bio and artist statement.
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.Stay true to character and do not appear fake.