Ida Kopperud working on a large abstract floral painting in her studio.

Artist statement

I am an abstract artist based in Norway, creating work that explores how art can support everyday living. My paintings are rooted in an intuitive process and shaped by lived experience, personal transitions, and the subtle inner shifts that often happen quietly over time.

I work with the balance between structure and softness — where boundaries offer safety, and openness creates room to breathe. Through layered surfaces, organic forms, and a play between transparent and opaque elements, the work reflects a tension many of us recognize: the need to hold things together, while also allowing ourselves to soften.

Rather than depicting nature directly, I draw on botanical references and natural rhythms as felt experiences. These shapes and movements carry memories of presence, grounding, and ease — qualities I return to again and again in my process. The paintings often begin with fluid, instinctive gestures, followed by slower, more deliberate decisions that bring clarity and quiet structure.

At the heart of my work is a desire to create spaces that feel supportive. The paintings are meant to live with people — offering grounding, openness, and a sense of relief over time. Not as something to be analyzed, but as something to return to in everyday moments, allowing the space — and the viewer — to settle.

A bit of background

I grew up just outside of Oslo, Norway, and from an early age I often felt like an observer rather than someone fully at ease in the world around me. Nature became a place of comfort — somewhere I could focus, create small projects, and feel a quiet sense of belonging.

I didn’t begin painting until my early thirties. When I first picked up a brush and started working with acrylics, something settled. The colors, the physicality of the paint, and the freedom of the process created a space where my mind could quiet and I could simply be present.

For many years, painting existed alongside a life that never quite felt right. I worked, tried to fit into roles that didn’t suit me, and painted when I could — often in a small corner of our living room, wishing for more space and time to truly immerse myself in the work.

When the pandemic arrived, my life shifted in unexpected ways. After losing my job, my family and I moved to a small farm in Modum. Surrounded by nature, I finally found the physical and mental space to dedicate myself fully to painting.

Today, this place — and the life we live here — shapes both my work and my way of working. The studio, the landscape, and the slower rhythm allow the paintings to develop with care and attention. What began as a personal refuge has grown into both an artistic practice and a business.

Thank you for being here.

WITH LOVE
Ida