Writing about yourself can be a tricky task, especially for most artists, we rather just say everything with our art! But if you want to participate in shows or projects you do have to put in the time to write. And yes practice will help your writing improve (just like art!) so it is well worth the time and effort you will invest in it.

One of the most important pieces of writing you will need to submit just about everywhere is your artist bio. So how do you do that delicate balancing act of not sounding like a pompous egotist but also not downplaying your skills and talent by being too humble? How do you not bore your reader but also not sound too…..colourful?

It takes a lot of time, trial and error and edits, what may seem like thousands of edits! Until you finally come to something you are happy to settle with. And that is okay! Your artist bio will change over time. Sometimes a little and sometimes a lot. We share some steps for the basics, with time and confidence, your unique “voice” will start to be heard in your bio.

1. Artist bios are usually written in third person. This is actually really helpful when you are just starting, write it like you are talking about someone else. It can be hard to talk about yourself. You can ask someone (a curator, another artist etc) for suggestions as well, what would they say about your art, style and inspiration?
2. Keep it short(er) and simple. You don’t need to start off with a story, you can get straight to the point. You can begin with who you are, what you do and your experience. For example “so and so is a self-taught, Mississauga-based artist who has been painting since…..”
3. Add your muses and sources of inspiration, you can make it interesting here. Humour never hurts if that is your thing, as long as it isn’t over the top and would be suitable for all audiences!
4. Add your most important achievement to date, like a commission for a well-known client or an award. If you haven’t gotten there yet, no worries, there is probably one painting/project that garnered more attention than others? A sentence about that!
5. You can end with what you would like to achieve through your art, themes and messages you wish to communicate and or where the audience can follow you on your most used social media – for most artists that is Instagram.  Make sure your Instagram has links to your website and your website links to all your social media! It really helps!

The standard bio can be from 120 words to half a page. When you are submitting your work be sure to read the instructions carefully. Most organizations specify how many words they want in the bio. You will end up having different-length versions of your bio to use in different places.

Lastly, put your bio away for at least a week and come back to it with fresh eyes to see what you would like to edit. Get a fellow artist to take a look at it for some feedback. Save all your different versions and go back and visit them to see how you, the bio and your work have evolved! Good luck!

About the Author

Khaula Siddique is a professional artist who loves bringing art to the community. She does this through unique exhibitions, interactive art events, and public art. You can see her public artwork throughout the GTA, follow her art shenanigans on Instagram at Khaula S Art  and see more of her work on her website at Khaula Siddique.com