From Mind’s Eye to Words: Finding Your Artistic Voice

What is your artistic voice — and can you clearly communicate it when it matters most?

In this episode of The Artist Behind the Art, Jennifer breaks down what she calls your artistic voice: your ability to introduce yourself confidently at an audition, explain your act in words, and articulate what makes you unique as an artist in a highly competitive industry.

For many circus artists and performers, talent lives naturally in the body — but not always in language. This episode explores how to bridge that gap so casting panels, directors, choreographers, and collaborators can better understand who you are, what your work expresses, and what value you bring to a production.

Jennifer shares practical ways to practice audition introductions, improve your on-camera video submissions, and start putting language to your creative work so you can show up more clearly and confidently in every opportunity.

In This Episode, We Cover

• What “artistic voice” actually means
• How to introduce yourself at an audition with clarity and confidence
• Why practicing audition questions is just as important as practicing your skills
• A simple way to buy yourself time when you feel put on the spot
• How to improve the way you come across in video submissions
• Why your submission setup matters: lighting, sound, space, and clothing
• How to start putting words to your act and creative work
• Why explaining your act helps refine and elevate it
• How to identify and communicate what makes you unique as an artist
• Why clarity helps you not only say yes to the right opportunities — but walk away from the wrong ones

Key Takeaway

Your artistic voice is not just what you create — it’s how clearly you can communicate it.

When you take time to put words to who you are, what your work expresses, and what makes you unique, you give yourself the power to connect more authentically and show up more confidently in your next audition or submission.

Reflection Prompt

Take time to reflect on these three questions:

• How do I introduce myself as an artist?
• Can I clearly explain what my act is about?
• What do I bring to the table that is unique and valuable?

Your answers to those questions can become one of your greatest tools.

Thanks so much for listening to The Artist Behind the Art.
This podcast exists to support performers in building sustainable, aligned, and castable careers — beyond just the skills.

Ready to Unlock What’s Next?

If you know there’s more inside you than you’ve unlocked on your own…
 If your skills are strong, but you’re unsure how to shape them into something undeniable…

You don’t have to figure that out alone.

Inside the Own the Stage Act Creation Mentorship, we bring personalized feedback and clear strategy to your creative process — so every moment of your act is masterful, connected, and intentional. From entrance to bow.

The mentorship begins March 23rd, and the founding members round will be intimate and focused.

If you’re ready to build an act that makes an audience lean in and feel time stand still:

📩 Email: Jennifer@aretementorship.com

📱 DM: @arete.actdevelopment

I’d love to see what we can create together.

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Remember — you already have what it takes.
 The question is: are you ready to prove it to yourself?

Until next time — show up big and own the stage.

Transcript

Speaker 2 0:01

Welcome to the Artist Behind the Art, the podcast that lists the curtain on what it takes to thrive as a professional performer. I'm your host, Jennifer Pierce, artist coach, creative strategist, and lifelong advocate for performers who are ready to go from unsure to unforgettable. This is where the gatekeeping ends and your journey to thriving in the industry begins. Let's dive in.

Speaker 0:30

Welcome back to The Artists Behind the Art, and today we are chatting about what I call your artistic voice, and this is a few things. Number one, this is your ability at an audition to introduce yourself as an artist and connect with somebody on a casting panel, either in person or through the camera. And this is also your ability to give words to your work. You need to have the ability to articulate what your act is about. And this can sometimes be a little bit hard to have that crossover from what's in your mind's eye, in your body, but actually be able to put that into words. And then lastly, what makes you unique as an artist? And we are presently in a time where the market is so competitive and knowing what you can bring to the table is so important and obviously being able to show that is. The most important, but being able to explain that, that goes into helping you connect with your peers, with casting and directors, being able to understand the value of what you can bring to a potential production. So let's dial in how you can share with others who you are as an artist and. Number one definitely is at an audition. Your ability to introduce yourself as an artist and connect can be one of the most nerve wracking, just times you're in a lineup and they are asking you to step forward and introduce yourself and what you do. And then there's also always, there's that one question that all of a sudden you just have a hard time finding the words that. You truly just, you want them to like you. You, you are obviously invested in auditioning, and what they want to see is who you are. They want to connect with you just on the one-to-one human level and. This, just like auditioning is something to get good at and I think the number one tip I can give to you for this is to just practice it like any other skill. So you want to find that tribe of friends that you can be yourself. And that they can be honest with you if they, they see you, the person showing up there in front of them. So finding another group of artists where you can get together and have them ask you the standard audition questions, but then also throw that one that keeps you on your toes. And my number one tip for you with this one is when you need that moment and that pause to be able to come up with the answer that. Is just all of a sudden somehow just flown off and that you can't find is to actually be honest with how you think or feel about the question. So how can you, how do you relate to the question? And that gives you the moment to be with the question, and just that there gives them more insight to who you are. Now for video submissions, this is something that is completely different because I think, uh, in looking into the camera and trying to be natural and show them who you are as a person is again, something that needs to be practiced. And this is something that if you can really find the place in your home where you can do your. Video submission, introductions and really assign where is that? That's going to help you be able to, when you need to do those. Just on the fly, you're gonna know where is the space and you're going to know what do you need to clear to make that optimized for that submission. Do you need to add a lamp for lighting? Do you need to turn a fan off to optimize sound? And what are you going to wear? Because that goes into. Not only putting your best foot forward as an artist, but it also just helps you step forward more confidently and. Connecting through the camera so they can see you again is a practice skill. So if you can practice some basic submissions and then you have those in your pocket, whether it's a 30, 62nd who you are. What you do, how you started your journey into circus arts and what you bring to the table that is unique and special. It is a place that you can start to be able to have that familiarity with this skill because it is a skill and the more you develop it, then you can also review that. Submission that you've already created so you can review it and go, oh, okay, I said this and I looked really natural and I, I could see me. And I think the number one thing is you want to be able to, on short notice. When it matters, be able to capture something and for them to see you as the artist. So let's chat about giving your act words. And I, I think as a circus artist where. Our talent is mainly rooted in our physical abilities. This can sometimes be of a bit of a challenge to be able to translate what you feel inside and are able to articulate in movement, but then put that into words and. I find this such of such value because it will provide you with so many breakthroughs, not only in being able to, when it counts, be able to explain your act to a director or choreographer, but it also helps you find clarity in viewing your work and being able to watch it and. Run it through the filter of how would I express this and how is this truly being received by the audience? And often when we view our work, we layer upon what we still and what exists in our mind's eye. So meaning when you're watching your act, you know. That it hasn't necessarily gotten fully to its potential, but you know where it can get to. And we want to really shortcut that process of knowing what's missing and that last 10% to put it in the place where it's peak placement in the music, or in the way that that punchline is delivered in the comedic moment, or that placement of a storytelling aspect. That really just helps. Everything connect and you will find by being able to put into words what you're creating is another step in being able to actually be able to completely express your work in a way that just really elevates it and. You then will truly be able to see what is being received by the audience. And you're gonna be able to move all of these things that are in your mind to your body, to movement. But those thoughts that you're able to express in words, that's gonna just give you that last little bit that's gonna be able to express those gestures, nuances. Just in a way that is so much more in alignment with what you had originally set out to express. So lastly, what makes you unique as an artist and to be able to confidently explain what you do and what makes you unique. Is sometimes something that I think we can either feel like we're bragging or when we often really stop and think about it. Then all of a sudden we go, oh gosh, there's nothing that really stands out. But remember, we all have unique abilities and talents and casting wants to know what these are, and that. Not only what they are, but you're able to articulate those and potentially adapt those to add value to the production and to be a large part of that being unique and our ability to communicate. Who we are in our strengths goes into our ability to being able to be a more concise artist and know what contracts and projects are for us, and ultimately it also gives us the ability to be comfortable, to be able to walk away from once that are not necessarily for us. So the biggest takeaway that I have today is that all of this information is awesome, but it's what you do with it. So you are prepared for the next opportunity and. Knowing what to do and what comes out when the pressure is on, that's where the gap is. And so I really want to challenge you to take these three concepts and really take time and put words to them and think about. How do you show up at an audition and how can you communicate to the casting and have them see you? So put some time into what your answers could be and think about your current act and give it words and see how that lands, and if that's truly what you're seeing through the camera. And lastly, what you bring to the table that is special and unique. And my hope that this concept of an artistic voice helps you clearly articulate who you are, what your work expresses, and gives you the confidence to walk into your next audition or submission, ready to connect and absolutely crush it.

Speaker 4 11:16

thank you so much for listening. If you're an artist who knows, there's more inside you than you've unlocked on your own. If you feel strong in your skills, but unsure how to shape them into something undeniable, you don't have to figure that out. Alone. I had mentors who believed in me, and I truly believe every artist deserves to have someone that sees and helps them find that magic inside them. Inside own the stage. Act, creation. Mentorship. We demystify act creation through a flexible structure, personalized feedback, and a practical strategy. So every moment of your act is masterful, connected. Crafted and intentional. From entrance to bow, the mentorship. Begins March 23rd and the founding members round will be intimate and focused. If you're ready to build an act that makes an audience lean in and feel time stand still, I would love to invite you to apply and see if it's a right fit for you. DM me at. Arete Act development on Instagram or send me an email. The address is in the show notes and I'll send you the application. I would truly love to see what we can build together. Until next time, show up big and own the stage.

12:31

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