Open Theme nominee

Artist statement Photo Series - MOTHER NURTURE

I never set out to become an artist — art found me. In 2023, I began learning how to use a digital camera and was quickly drawn to still life photography. What I didn’t realise at the time was that my creative process was subconsciously helping me to process years of trauma, much of it rooted in caring for my teenage child during a period of severe mental health challenges.

As I began to reflect on my work, I noticed that the objects I chose carried symbolic meaning. Decaying leaves came to represent renewal and hope; broken glass vessels spoke of both fragility and resilience. Without planning it, photography became a form of therapy — a way to explore pain, love, and survival without language.

Using metaphor and light, I honour the beauty in imperfection and invite moments of stillness. My work is not about dramatising struggle, but about celebrating renewal—something broken yet whole, imperfect yet strong. More than photography, it’s a visual language of healing and resilience, offering a celebration of the quiet strength that lives within us all and the restorative power of a mother's unconditional love.

Fiona Young is an emerging fine art photographer based in Scotland, UK. She holds degrees from Edinburgh College of Art and The Scottish College of Textiles. Following a successful career in graphic design, Young has transitioned to focus fully on her artistic practice.

Since launching her art career in January 2025, Young has gained notable recognition, with her work featured in group exhibitions, art publications, and shortlisted in fine art competitions. Young has been selected for the Emerging Artist exhibition at the Pittenweem Arts Festival (2025) and Earth Matters at Inverleith House, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (2026). Her achievements include being awarded a Highly Commended by the Homiens Art Prize and shortlisted by the VAA International Art Competition (VAA500).

Young's practice centres around creating symbolic still life compositions, incorporating discarded objects and natural elements, her work celebrates the overlooked and invites emotional reflection.

My still life practice is evolving. While I sometimes work within the studio, I have increasingly moved outdoors, constructing arrangements and photographing them at night against the natural darkness. This shift introduces new layers of narrative and emotion, resulting in raw, symbolic images — quiet meditations on loss, love, and the beauty found in imperfection.