On Tuesdays, we watch talks or interviews with artists and designers and discuss how to present our work clearly and with confidence. This week we’ll hear from printmaker Denise Aguiar of Brighton University.
As you watch this interview, consider these questions: Does the artist/designer speak clearly and with confidence? Does she use gestures and intonation to emphasize her points? Does she smile and look at the camera? Does she use professional vocabulary?
What does Aguiar do well? I think the thing that stands out the most about this interview is the artist’s infectious smile. She does a great job of showing her passion and excitement for her work through her body language and intonation. You can just feel her enthusiasm coming through the screen. She looks at the interviewer, and she speaks clearly. Her speed and volume are good, and she has exceptional vocal variety. Her posture and gestures are good as well.
What could she improve? She uses filler words quite often, especially like, and she also uses a lot of uptalk. In addition, she is wiggling nervously throughout the interview. Or maybe she’s excited. Either way, it’s a bit distracting. If she could overcome these habits, she would seem both confident and enthusiastic.
What professional vocabulary does she use? She begins by describing her early inspirations, which were children’s animations, and galleries where she admired the work of artists like Francis Bacon. She was drawn to his style of figurative, dark, and abstract work. Next, she describes why she chose to study printmaking at Brighton University. She tells us that Louise Bourgeois is the influence for her current project, which focuses on hands. She describes her process and compares the fuzzy, pixelated photos of hands to memories. She also explains the role of Turkish culture in the henna song lyrics she has paired with the hand imagery in her screen prints. Finally, she describes her artistic ambitions, including large-scale works with sewn or embroidered textile prints. After school, she hopes to either pursue a Master’s degree in art therapy, or work in a studio if she becomes a famous artist.
Do you get nervous when giving an interview? Can you describe your work effectively? A good language coach can show you ways to overcome your nervous habits, and speak with confidence.
At Artglish, we help artists and designers to speak confidently about their work. We coach you to speak professionally using the best vocabulary and correct pronunciation. If you want to learn more, click here to join The Studio and try some free ways to improve your English, or check out our Lessons page to learn how Artglish can help you succeed.
I’ve chosen 5 words or phrases for you to focus on today. They are in bold. If you don’t know them, look up the meaning, synonyms, antonyms, and other forms of these words. You can find links to Merriam-Webster dictionary sites at the bottom of this page.
To see the original video, posted by Lizzie Hartree on November 23, 2017, click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOs7hpHSCx8