Like a castaway on a desert island – that's how Io felt when she finally managed to open the can of ravioli with a nail and hammer. And never did a meal taste better than this processed food! And exactly that is what a stay at the art hermitage at Rietzer Berg meant for her: You have to improvise and get creative to find solutions. The stay was a great luxury in spite of or maybe just because of the humble furnishing and the lack of electronic distractions of everyday life because she always dreamed of living in the countryside and never felt as good and in peace as at Rietzer Berg. And her dachshund Piti surely feels the same about it.

Io, an artist from Brandenburg/Havel creates colorful and lively paintings and especially loves animal themes. The animals at Rietzer Berg are especially locked in her heart and frequently become the theme of her paintings. In her everyday life she often lacks creativity, but the wind in her hair, the singing birds and the loneliness of the hermitage sparked her creative motivation and she produced more art than she had in a long time.

In her first week Io was accompanied by photografer Stefan Gelluszat who took wonderful portraits of the animals at Rietzer Berg. Apart from their artistic work the two of them talked a lot, played games and had fun with photo sessions in the pool with a mermaid costume.

Her stay alone was a totally different experience for Io - more mindful and aware and more concentrated on work.

In 2023, Io spontaneously visited the residence again for a short stay and dedicated her time mainly to painting rocks. Her favorite motif were animals.

Like a castaway on a desert island – that's how Io felt when she finally managed to open the can of ravioli with a nail and hammer. And never did a meal taste better than this processed food!