Who, Now?: How to Write an Artist Bio
The below is an excerpt from NMCC BME program graduate and artist Lauren Kelly’s book, From Canvas to Career: An Artist’s No-Sh*t Guide to Going Pro. After attending the BME program, Kelly says she was inspired to write this book and made the decision to go full-time as an artist.
“During the program, I realized I didn’t lack preparation,” she said in a talk with Program Director Henry Jake Foreman. “I just lacked a spine. Being surrounded by inspired community and hearing from accomplished Native artists and entrepreneurs is what gave me my spine. I want to pay that forward with this book.”
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Your artist biography (or “bio” for short) will briefly describe your background, artistic practice, and achievements. It will frequently serve as an introduction to you as an artist, providing context for galleries, collectors, and audiences wherever they stumble across your work. Your bio should reflect your personality, style, and artistic journey and highlight your top accomplishments.
Oh– and be sure to write this in third-person. Meaning, it’s not “I was born in 1987 in Switzerland… I blah blah blah.” It’s: “John Doe, born in 1987 in Switzerland… He blah blah blah.” Capisce?
Steps for a Stellar Artist Bio
Start with the Basics: Go easy at the start. Open with your name, location, and artistic medium. Or, for a more traditional artistic intro, include your nationality (or primary nationality, if you’re a citizen of more than one country) and year of birth. This establishes a clear identity and context for your work. Some folks, particularly immigrants or descendants of immigrants, will opt for a modifier to account for their dual-cultural positioning in their nationality disclosure– this is cool, too, if it fits for you (example: “Somali-American”).
Outline Your Artistic Journey: How did you become an artist, and/or how can you describe the practice you’ve arrived at in your art? Include relevant education, experiences, or big moments that shaped your practice. We want to give insight into your background and establish a personal connection with your audience here.
Toot Your Own Horn: Lay out the biggest or most recent bragging rights you’ve racked up. Include notable exhibitions, awards, or recognitions; these will bolster your credibility as an artist. Note that the accomplishments you list here should be tailored to the audience you are addressing; for example, what might impress a gallery curator could differ from what would resonate with collectors. It’s okay to have more than one version of your bio if you anticipate addressing audiences with seriously different priorities.
State Your Current Focus: Wrap it up by discussing your current projects, inspirations, or themes in your body of work. Hint at your future directions if you’ve got something to tease.
Keep It Concise: Aim for a total length of about 100-300 words in your bio.
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Lauren Kelly is a Citizen Potawatomi visual artist and arts advocate based in Oklahoma. Her book, From Canvas to Career: An Artist’s No-Sh*t Guide to Going Pro, is now available at IndigiExchange in the Resilience Hub in downtown Albuquerque. For more information about the book, head to: www.laurenkelly.art/from-canvas-to-career
