Message from Ida
Summer 2009

An old wish fulfilled, this summer me and Johnny went to Rome. We drowe all the way down there in our very faithful car. The whole journey down there was filled with wonderful things for the eye and the mind, but entering Rome is a blast. To me it was like a giant mosaic of the past and the present, multi colored, multi facetted and by all means multi layered. For many years I have wanted to see Rome.

I have loved the beauty of Rome from afar, but seeing things for yourself is of course always something else. Rome can´t really be imagined, I found out: you just have to go there and see it. The timespan you feel down there is really unique. I really would have liked to be a fly on the wall down there in one of those strange temples, seeing how the priests and priestesses of the past did their things. If you look closely there is wonders everywhere. From colossal monuments to tiny little details, you need to pay attention to find. Having been there, now Rome is really in my heart .All things are pretty new and old alike but some times you come across places where the tooth of time is somehow at its peak. Its so beautiful and strange that it can´t be described. To me one of the places where everything bleeded into one magic moment of time tearing things down slowly was at Villa D´este, a 500 year old magnificent garden outside of Rome in Tivoli. Also, Forum Romanum really takes your breathe away once you stand down there at the ancient road with giant temple ruins all around you.

When we were in Tivoli we also visited Villa Adriana, another place of ancient beauty and mystery. That´s the place in the picture to the right. Well I guess ruins and drapery has gotten under my skin. Feel loaded to paint lots of paintings with the beauty of Rome, past and present woven into its fabric. Sometime before we went to Rome I decided to start doing my paintings in oil again. That has really been a relief. For some reason I thought I couldnt live with the drying time but that has proven not true. Now I just enjoy the slowness and smoothness of the oil. Now having absorbed all the impressions of Rome I feel quite loaded for painting. You´re probably wondering by now what this is all about. I have long time wanted to share some thoughts here on the site and

I think I have now found my way of doing it. My plan is to give a seasonal "letter" this being the first one ever - the debut :o) I am really looking forward to this lettering, giving you all a little insight in my thoughts and my world. Being in Rome has given me restless feet and now safe at home I ask myself the classic question - what did it teach me then? - well I cant quite distinguish that yet, but in all regards it reminded me that getting out of my door is extremely important. Someone once said that if you haven´t seen The marvels of Rome, you haven´t seen the marvels of the World. I guess that hits the spot.. I will finish my summermessage with this ancient little bird, who have been immortalized by being masoned into a wall in the beautifull Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. Go there and find it for yourself one beautifull sunny day. May you all have a beautiful summer! Lots of Love, Ida