Word for 2024 "Let it go!"
Word for 2024
Let it go!
Ok, that’s three words but I’m sticking with it!
So far this year has been a whirlwind. We are currently in the middle of moving. My family and my mom who is 85, are all moving into a new home together.
Everyone is going to have less space, except the kids(they have bigger bedrooms). My mom is having to let go of nearly half her house of furniture and I am bringing in a few pieces of my own.
I am losing quite a bit of storage space. So I’ve had to purge a lot of things. Being a photographer for over 30 years now, I’ve accumulated a lot of photo prints, mostly of my 4 kids. And I’ve got an insane amount of frames! Ok ok, I have a thing for frames! Especially antique frames. But over the years I’ve accumulated about 75-100 frames. Frames that were beautifully displayed in my portrait studio and my home. As I started to move these things, I realized what a burden they have become. I thought, why do I have this? Will I ever do anything with it? Maybe one of my kids wants it? The overwhelming feeling of this burden took me to a place of asking myself, are these things going to be a burden to my children one day? That did it for me!
I’ve been spending time taking the photos that I care about out of the frames and making a huge pile of frames to be sold in an estate sale. This was a catalyst for all the items that I started packing.
I’m trying to give away to friends or family what I can. And I’ve donated about 20 bags of items to Goodwill so far. And I’ve become a Facebook marketplace, Queen! It feels terrific!
I believe that clutter kills creativity. I need all the creativity I can get! Creating is one of my most favorite things to do!
Do you need to let things go? Declutter and purge whatever does not serve you anymore. Do you love it? Does it serve a purpose? If not, let it go!
I have a book called The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. It’s an eye-opener to how “stuff” affects your life. I highly recommend it.
A super exciting part of this new home we are moving into is an amazing art studio room! I can’t wait to share as I set it all up! Photos are coming soon!
Also, save the date! April 5th is Opening night for my solo exhibition “Between Worlds” at Fifth Avenue Art Gallery! Here’s the new flyer!
Thanks for reading! 💕❤️ See you very soon!
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.
