A Message for my Daughter by Erika Masterson
Artist StatementA Message for my daughter is a collection of 30 images of 9-10 year-old girls draped in flowers with a significant meaning meant just for them. They represent the vulnerability of young girls based on the messages that their mothers give them.To create the work I gathered participants for the project, asked their mothers for five words that describe their daughter, then chose the flower that had similar meaning based on a Victorian flower dictionary and the book, The meaning ofFlowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.I bought and made fresh flower crowns and scarves for the girls to wear along with vintage Victorian dresses from my collection.These photographs represent the vulnerability of a young girls spirit. I am seeking to spread a positive message to mothers and their daughters and share the beautiful spirit within them through flowers.Erika MastersonPhotographic artist
Erika Masterson is a Fine Art Photographer, living her dream between two worlds, a lakeside cabin tucked in the Southern Appalachian mountains and a quiet beach town on Florida’s east coast.Erika and her husband Ed have 4 children and one granddaughter. Her children are often seen in her artistic works.
She received her degree in photography from the Southeastern Center for Photographic Studies in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1990. In 1999 opened her own commercial portrait business and has been working the past 20+ years in California and Florida.
In 2012 Erika expanded her Art including many exhibits and awards. Her most recent accolades; Solo Exhibition Soho Gallery New York; the Co-Jurors Choice award by Joyce Tenneson under the theme “The Intimate Portrait”; She was chosen as a Julia Margaret Cameron finalist for her series “A Message for my Daughter” and was selected as Black and White Magazine’s Portfolio Spotlight winner for her series Sara’s Sojourn.
Her quiet and soulful images have been published in numerous magazines such as Black and White Magazine 2014 & 2017, Victoria Magazine 2000 & 2016, Silvershotz Magazine, Shots Magazine, 5×5 Magazine, Bella Grace Magazine, Raine, Shadow & Light and In-Style Magazine. Erika recently has her images being sold around the world and on greeting cards with Palm Press and book covers. She has also self-published 4 books with her series of work.
