Q: I give a resume, several photographs and an artist's statement to anyone who asks about my art. Several collectors have told me that my statement is a little hard to understand and that maybe I should simplify it a bit. My response is that it accurately represents what I do and, although I never say this, the ones who make these comments don't usually know that much about art. Any suggestions?

A: Clarify your statement. Anyone who asks about your art is a potential buyer and when they ask, you should do everything in your power to answer their questions. The fact that some collectors have difficulty understanding you could very well mean that a lot more have similar experiences, but just don't say anything. After all, most people keep contrary opinions to themselves.

Think of collectors who comment as trying to help you rather than as not knowing enough about art. Many artists spend so much time around other artists and art people that they're often out of touch with what average buyers do or do not know. Artist statements that are peppered with art jargon or artspeak may sound great and make perfect sense to insiders, but mean little or nothing to everyone else. If you get too complicated for average buyers to understand, you can end up losing sales.

Let people enjoy your art, draw their own conclusions, and learn about it comfortably. Keep your statement and other introductory materials clear and to the point. You want to hold readers' attention without being intimidating. The longer they spend looking at your art, and the better they understand your statement, the greater your chances of making sales.

If you decide to rework or simplify your current statement, ask collectors where they get confused and how they think you can better explain yourself. You don't have to do every single thing everyone says, but if you ask enough people, the types of changes you need to make will become clear. Pay special attention those few brave folks who come forward and voluntarily share their feelings with you. They probably have the most well thought out suggestions of anyone.

Several additional pointers:

* Be brief. Two or three paragraphs of no more than three sentences each is a good length for an introductory statement.

* Tell why you create your art and what it means to you.

* Appeal to the emotions. Convey feeling about your art.

* Avoid complex explanations, obscure references, and artspeak.

* Try not to catagorize your work or compare yourself to others.