Visual Arts Professional Artist Interview, High School
Instructions
Your interview must be with an artist whose work you have seen and hopefully admire. The artist you select must be showing or selling their work professionally rather than a hobbyist. You may interview someone you know as long as you have seen work by this artist, but do not interview a family member or close friend.
If you see an artist’s work that interests you at a gallery, speak to gallery personnel and identify yourself as a VA student from DSA. Explain your assignment and ask them if they can put you in contact with the artist by phone, e-mail or web-site. Call or e-mail the artist at the beginning of the semester. You will turn in a proof of contact before the final paper is due. It may take a few tries to locate an artist who is willing to participate. Most artists are very willing to help you as they all were students at one time themselves! If they agree, arrange to ask your interview questions verbally on the phone, in person, or via e-mail.
Requirements
Write your interview in essay form; do not submit this list of questions.
Cover all questions in your essay
Type your essay with your name and date at the top.
Title the essay “An Interview with ________”
Include the artist’s contact information (phone and/or e-mail)
Explain how you met or contacted this artist and where you first saw their work.
Describe the artist's general subject matter, style and media in your essay.
Required Questions:
1. How long have you been a working artist?
2. What media do you prefer and how did you come to use it as your primary one?
3. Did you go to art school, if so where? Do you have graduate degrees?
4. When did you first become interested in art? Were you doing art in high school?
5. How did you get involved with a gallery? How do you show your work if not in galleries?
6. Where do you get your ideas for your art? Do you research images, sketch from life etc?
7. What percentage of your income do you make from art?
8. How do you decide how much to charge for your art?
9. Do you have any advice for someone in high school who is studying art?
10. Where were you born? Where do you live now? Does the place you live influence your art?
Feel free to add any of your own questions.
VA Artist Interview Form