A Presentation Case Study
One of Blue Noun Language Hub‘s services is Presentation Perfect Coaching.
This is preparing creatives for artist talks, studio visits and presentations.
Last week I coached an artist in Malaysia who felt nervous about a forthcoming open studio artist talk.
I researched her work before our coaching session. One bonus was I loved it. I felt optimistic about helping her.
However, during her presentation coaching session, she was hesitant and even irritated to talk about her work.
The sparse answers she gave in English were beautiful and compelling – but too short to offer any quality of English coaching support.
If she didn’t want to talk about her work, how was I going to help her?
Not Language Help. Permission.
It transpired that it wasn’t that she couldn’t do it, she didn’t want to do it.
She felt explaining her work was reductive.
Her battle wasn’t English as much as what she wanted to say to this audience.
She feared that the situation demanded statements from her that she didn’t want to share.
And to be honest, despite hiring me, she saw me as part of this problem.
I quickly assured her.
I’m never going to tell you what to say.
I’m only going to help you to find the best ways to express yourself in ways that YOU want.
Ruth Pringle, 2023
Artists: You don’t owe your audience any information you are not happy to give.
She Was Right
There are plenty of artworks that don’t survive being ‘explained’.
To attempt it is to do yourself and your work a huge disservice.
If literal is not for you, you can still share your creative practice with an audience during an artist talk and studio visit in many non-literal ways.
During our coaching call, I gave her 4 different ways of thinking about her artist talk and studio visit:
Describe Your Processes
Talk about your everyday. Talk about how you get started. Where you find inspiration. What is your life like as an artist?
Answer General Questions
How do you know when a piece is finished?
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
What toolbox item is indispensable to you?
During a presentation, you could string a series of answers together without lifting the cover on the magic of individual artworks.
Answer General Questions
How do you know when a piece is finished?
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
What toolbox item is indispensable to you?
During a presentation, you could string a series of answers together without lifting the cover on the magic of individual artworks.
Commission a Friend/Writer /Professional Critic to Write a Piece About Your Artwork
Pick the right person and you have a new way of presenting your artwork without the discomfort of it being you saying it.
Psychologically, this makes it so much easier to share and promote – and can offer you valuable insights too.
And in no way are you ‘lifting the lid’ on your practice.
(Here’s an example I wrote for my artist friend Ally Wallace)
Invert the Situation
If it’s a studio visit, ask your audience what they see & hear in your space.
Invite them to do a physical activity in the space that controls how they see or move around the space.
Ask them to put words into a jar – or say what sounds they can hear (her work had abstract music elements).
Lay out a sample of your materials and invite them to take a turn: to experience making.
My client’s work had a lot of natural elements – ask your audience what THEY collect from nature.
Everyone likes sharing a story. You can link your audience emotionally to your artwork through THEIR experience.
Share Only What You Are Comfortable Sharing!
Above all, share only what you are comfortable with.
Presenting your artwork takes courage in all contexts.
If you do it in a way that goes against your instincts, you will close down to the wonderful opportunities that will share your artwork with the world.
Artist talks should never be about showing up as others expect you to.
They are all about showing up authentically as yourself.
That can take a lot of courage!
Artist Talks and Studio Visits
At Blue Noun, we have a couple of ways to help you prepare for an artist talk or presentation.
You can take our ‘Emergency’ Afternoon Coaching, or sign up for Pure – a 6-week workshop in presentation giving.
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