For my project, I am going to do a gallery of artwork. I was going to ask a Luddite friend of mine if he wanted me to build him a website featuring his zombie art. But I decided to just create a site for myself instead. My own material is more readily available, and I could work on my own initiative, without having to clear every little design decision with my "client".
As for who my audience is, I guess I'm going for an audience of people who would appreciate my style of art. Since my media and subject matter are so eclectic, this would cover a fairly broad field.
I want to present my material in the most professional manner possible. I'd been studying the pages of other artists, and I've found that the sites that appeal to me the most are the simplest in design. The text is bold and readable, the color schemes are easy on the eyes, the loading time is fast, and the info you need is right there with a minimum of clicking. I intend for my own site to meet these criteria, as well as being html and css standards compliant.