Artist Resources
Producing an Artist’s Bio
As I see it by Ian Pearson.
Lots of art societies offer guidance and advice to its members on such matters as how to write an artist’s bio. Look at this one which is typical Creative Future
The Society of Caithness Artists is no different in wanting to support and help our members so here’s my experience.
An artist’s bio differs from your statement in that it should be written in third person tense whereas the Statement will be in the first person. The bio should be short and attention grabbing as sometimes, in fact most times what you write about yourself could be the difference between a sale and no sale! So, tell others where you were born, where you learnt your art and where you sell it. It’s extremely basic and concise. No more than a paragraph or two. Some galleries and exhibitions which are juried specify the number of words that a bio should not exceed, and this is a particularly good method to stop one rabbling on.
Here’s one I prepared earlier as they say and was written for one exhibition who specified a maximum number of words to be 200. This one “measures” 199!
Ian is a lampworker based in his studio in Thurso, Caithness, Scotland. Glass Creations
Born in Surrey, he commenced his career as a scientific glassblower in 1970. Following glass working positions in Manchester and Hertfordshire he concluded his full-time scientific glass career at the Dounreay Nuclear establishment.
Ian has been Editor of the Journal of the British Society of Scientific Glassblowers since 1985. Ian was BSSG Chairman from 2002 until 2009. Awarded honorary membership of the Society and in 2011 presented with his Fellowship. He has written many articles on flame working glass and travelled extensively in the UK as well as USA and Europe demonstrating his style of work.
Of his many prizes and accolades Ian cites his SGS “Oddball of the Year” award in 1993 as extra special!
Last exhibited with the SGS at the 33rd Annual Scottish Glass Society Exhibition at Northland’s Creative Glass where he teaches. Other exhibitions include American Scientific Glassblowers Annual Symposiums 2005 and 2008, Chicago and Atlantic City; European Glass Symposium, Veldhoven 2007; BSSG Symposiums on an annual basis since 1981.
Ian is Chairman of the Society of Caithness Artists who have held annual exhibitions in Thurso for over 86 years.
Ian Pearson ian.pearson1@tiscali.co.uk
In hindsight that bio was too long but I console myself that it fitted the right space in the catalogue, and it did help to sell my work. It is important to note that a Bio is not a CV although there are similarities. The Bio is more of an overview but at the same time should be more impressive and have impact. Think of all you have done then prioritise and mention the important bits not forgetting to name drop. So, if you have created something for that film star or the Prime Minster then don’t hold back as now is the time to sing about it! You are selling yourself and there is no space in a bio for shyness. Bios can be fine-tuned to any specific exhibition as my example was. I wrote it for the Scottish Glass Society so included reference to a previous prize they awarded me. If you are struggling with restricting the number of words, then use initials where possible. Hence my choice of SGS instead of Scottish Glass Society. Never lose sight that we are artists, we have imagination so let’s use it for our own benefit in producing a great artists bios. It could be one of your greatest works of art!!!
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