Artists make art for a reason. It may be that the flower they are looking at is exceedingly beautiful. It may be that the colors reflected in the cliffs at sunset are so subtle that they take your breath away. It may be that they want to voice a regret, or stand up for a cause. There are as many reasons for making art as there are artists. But when you ask a student why they made something, the answer is ususally, "I don't know".
Why don't they know? Maybe it was the first thought that came to their mind. Maybe they just grabbed a picture and copied it. Maybe they started scribbling, and it turned into a picture. Kids don't often delve into why they like things or why they choose to create a specific image. An artist statement requires them to think about those reasons. To look at what brought about these choices, and later changes in their art. Art is a reflection on them, and whether or not they made an actual choice, the viewer will assume that they did. Kids need to realise that their art makes a statement about them, as well as their subject matter. An artist statement helps them to think about those choices.
