About

Ulrike Maria Masakowski

My artistic journey began in Greven, near Münster, Germany, and has been a winding, colorful path ever since. As a child, my grandfather would often pick me up in his Mercedes, taking me to the meadows where his cows grazed. After visiting the cows, we would drive through town, and before heading home, we'd stop for a small ice cream cone at the local Italian ice cream parlor.

In our city, the centerpiece was a nearly 1,000-year-old church that sat atop a hill by the river. Its organist was a master, filling the space with the grand sounds of a majestic pipe organ. Occasionally, I had the privilege of joining him in the organ loft to experience the music and view. I took piano lessons with him for a few years, but after his death, I never found another teacher like him until my early twenties, when I moved to Hamburg.

Before Hamburg, my love for travel began to shape my future. In my mid-teens, I set off to explore new cultures and meet fascinating people. After a trip to Scotland, I was offered a job as a journalist for Muziek Express, a music magazine in The Hague, where I wrote for the German edition. During this time, I met musicians like Tina Turner and Fats Domino, which eventually led me to the U.S., though not in the way I originally imagined. Instead, I ended up in Hamburg until a friend, a musician from the Fats Domino band, introduced me to New Orleans.

New Orleans was a revelation: warm weather, even warmer people, and a vibrant energy that was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Coming from the snowy streets of Hamburg, I landed on Rampart Street, with palm trees by the pool and January heat. It was my first visit to this unique city with its culture, music, and yes, even cockroaches. The racial diversity of the city opened my eyes to a new world. I fell in love with its people, and its music, especially jazz. I had been set to study with Dr. John and James Booker, but a year later and after the untimely passing of my friend, I found myself having to navigate this new world on my own.

Leaving Hamburg, joyfully, I enrolled at Loyola University in New Orleans, on a scholarship. While I appreciated the classical music education, my heart was drawn to the jazz clubs. Every night, I immersed myself in the music, eventually meeting the most incredible jazz musician I'd ever encountered, Steve Masakowski. We married, raised two wonderful children, Sasha and Martin, and my love for both jazz and my family has only deepened over time.

About ten years ago, my life took another turn when I enrolled in a drawing class at a community college. The first assignment was to copy a master drawing. I chose the famous Madonna by Leonardo da Vinci. That experience changed me. I became so absorbed in the process that I lost track of space and time, feeling as if I were in the presence of da Vinci himself. Since then, my creative expression has been divided between music and visual art. Though largely self-taught, I've been inspired by countless teachers and artists, constantly seeking out new influences and learning from the vast history available to us in the 21st century.

My journey continues, blending the old and the new, and my passion for creativity burns brighter every day.