Your Artist Statement and Bio: Should You Keep Them Separate or Combine Them on Your Website?
There's a trend toward combining your artist statement and bio into one general statement of information comprising one page on your website.
Is it a good idea? That depends on who you want to view your website. I think it's very important to give the people viewing your website what they want and need, not just what you want them to have.
I suggest keeping your bio and resume separate. I haven't heard any good arguments for combining them (other than it's easier), and there are very good reasons to keep them separate.
YOU have to decide how you will present yourself. Don't do something just because it's the new, hot trend unless it makes sense for you. Think about the people who you want to view your website. Who are they and what information are THEY seeking. What do they want to know about you?
Potential buyers, current collectors of your work, galleries, the press, and grant-givers want to not only know some interesting information about you and your art, they will likely want (and need) detailed information. It should be available for them.
There are several ways to make that happen. You could combine your bio and artist statement on the web page AND have very visible links to PDF files of your complete artist statement and bio. Even better, a link to a digital media kit showing your work and containing all the information on your website, your full bio, resume and artist statement, and more.
You could also put all the information on one page, up front and center where they can get at it easily and see it in one place. Or both! It's up to you. Think about what you're trying to achieve with your website and most importantly, LOOK at your website through THEIR eyes and give them what they want and need, not just what you YOU think they should have.
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Reader Comments (1)
I agree with your post 100%. The website needs to focus on the viewer not the artist. The viewer wants a friendly way to see the artist and the artist needs to give them just that. Plus, in order to give the viewer a true perspective of the artist's work, you cannot possibly have it all on one page. It just would not do the work justice.
A user friendly version with easily clickable links taking you to more information is the best way to link between the artist bio and the artist gallery. Once on the artist gallery, even more clickable links would be ideal to give higher resolution images so each page could be faster loading. Fast and easy is what people want.