Unit Plan 31 (Grade 7 Art): Artist Statement Writing
Grade 7 artist statement unit where students explain artistic decisions by connecting personal experiences, interests, and viewpoints to specific choices in their artwork.
Focus: Write reflective statements explaining artistic decisions by connecting personal interests, experiences, and viewpoints to specific choices in finished artworks.
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Reflection • Communication)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students learn how to put their artistic decisions into words by writing clear, thoughtful artist statements. They explore how their interests, experiences, and viewpoints show up in their work and practice describing their intentions, materials, and compositional choices. Using sentence stems, examples, and peer feedback, students draft, revise, and finalize artist statements to accompany one or more artworks. By the end, they can explain how personal influences shaped their artwork and how their choices support what they wanted to communicate.
Essential Questions
- What is an artist statement, and why is it important for sharing my intentions with viewers?
- How do my interests, experiences, and viewpoints influence the subjects, styles, and materials I choose?
- What makes an artist statement clear, specific, and honest instead of vague or generic?
- How can I use words to help viewers understand my artistic decisions and the meaning of my work?
- How can reflecting in writing help me grow as an artist and plan future projects?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe what an artist statement is and identify key features of strong examples (clear intent, personal connection, artistic decisions).
- Reflect on at least one artwork and identify how it connects to their personal interests, experiences, or viewpoints (VA:Cn10.7a).
- Explain specific artistic decisions (subject, composition, color, materials, techniques) and how those decisions support their ideas (VA:Cn10.7a).
- Draft an artist statement that includes both personal influences and concrete details about the artwork.
- Revise and finalize an artist statement using peer feedback and a simple checklist, ensuring it clearly explains their artistic choices and personal connections (VA:Cn10.7a).
Standards Alignment — 7th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Cn10.7a — Create artwork that reflects personal interests, experiences, or viewpoints and explain those influences.
- Example: Students design artwork inspired by hobbies or identity.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can explain what an artist statement is and why artists write them.
- I can describe how my artwork connects to my interests, experiences, or viewpoints.
- I can point to specific artistic decisions I made (like color, composition, or symbols) and say why I chose them.
- I can write an artist statement that is clear, specific, and personal, not vague or generic.
- I can revise my statement using feedback so it better communicates my intent and influences.