vol 3 / nr 14 / Florence, Italy

Viviane had just moved to Florence, and she tells that the day she found the print was a rather stressful one. I was walking around in the city the whole day long, trying to get to know it a bit better. Then I was sitting on the steps of the Duomo, when suddenly a big white envelope caught my attention. At first I was wondering if somebody might have forgotten it there, but when I saw the words "To you, whoever you are", I couldn\'t resist. And I have to say - this print made my day. I was still a bit sad, because I had to leave my family and friends to come to Italy (actually I am from Berlin, Germany), but when I opened the envelope I couldn't help but smile. 

 I really like the idea of leaving prints all around Europe, it's a beautiful way to make people become aware of the fact that art is all around us.

vol 3 / nr 75 / Czech Republic

Dominika found the print in Florence when she was travelling as a co-leader of a group of art-loving people. It´s been a rather stressful day and coming across your envelope felt like a little miracle. I like your work and the random part of your project gives it a new dimension of  "predestination".

The print is now exhibited in the office of their small gallery in Prague.

vol 3 / nr 27 / Florence, Italy

Francesco writes: It was really a pleasant surprise.

He is the owner of an ice cream shop in the center of Florence. I do and I eat ice cream every day, but your cup of fresh sea water refreshed me like nothing else.

vol 3 / nr 77 / Saint Cloud, USA

Dede writes: "To You, Whoever you are." I could not resist such a mysterious bit of intrigue. Opening the envelope was akin to finding treasure. The project is a wonderfully romantic notion that connects the random.

The print now hangs in their library. The print is a reminder of the whimsically unexpected that happens often when traveling.

vol 3 / nr 86 / Middelburg, Netherlands

Joke got the letter, when walking in Lucca (Toscane, Italy). When I rested a little on a bench on a square. An elderly couple gave me a letter they had already opened.

I was surpised and found it a nice idea and a fine piece of art too. Therefore I decided to take the print with me back to Holland.

vol 3 / nr 89 / Barcelona, Spain

Miguel found the letter between the thousands of people near the Duomo in Florence.

I find the project very original, you have spend your time and money only to make people smile, he writes. 

vol 3 / nr 57 / Amsterdam, Netherlands

Gert-Jan wrote that the letter was a very surprising found in the middle of Florence. The picture is now standing on our low cupboard where we put things we like to look at.

vol 3 / nr 37 / Assisi, Italy (-> Prague, Czech republic)

Katka and Michal found the envelope in capella Pazzi in Florence! They were travelling on their honeymoon, when they found the letter. I have studied history of arts in Prague and I love any kind of these things! Katka writes. The print will be placed in a special place in their flat in Prague.

vol 3 / nr 50 / Florence, Italy (-> Germany)

Laura is a German student, who is having her autumn semester in Florence. She found the envelope from Santa Croce church with her two visiting friends from Germany. She writes: Mit Spannung und einem leicht mulmigen Gefühl haben wir den Umschlag geöffnet, um dann etwas darin zu finden, womit wir nicht gerechnet hätten: ein wunderschönes Bild, das uns sofort ein Gefühl von Entspannung, Glück und Freiheit vermittelt hat. ("With excitement and feeling a bit anxious we opened the envelope, and found something unexpected: a beautiful picture gave us a feeling of relaxing, happiness and freedom!")

vol 3 / nr 30 / Florence, Italy (-> USA)

Kathryn is a US student currently studying abroad in Italy. This beautiful print will be coming home with me when I return to the states in December. I think this project is amazing and you should know that it has touched me in a way many things never have. [...] Keep up your beautiful art work, and know that somewhere around the world, your project has touched not only me, but I'm sure 89 other people as well.

She also wrote, that she is currently blogging about her travels and experiences studying abroad in Italy. She has also blogged about finding the letter. Read her blog entry - where and how she found the envelope - at: http://bellavita07.weebly.com/3/post/2012/09/september-25th-2012.html

vol 3 / nr 7 / Lisburn, Northern Ireland

Olga wrote to me that she picked up the print while on holiday in Florence to celebrate our wedding anniversary. It is a delightful print and we intend to keep it as a special memory of this trip.

She also told me about a local expression sometimes used in Belfast -"You are a hot cup of tea"!

vol 3 / nr 20 / Florence, Italy

Paola tells that she likes the print and will keep it: I think the project is fantastic, a really great idea to share your own artworks.

She has also thought about adapting the project: I'd like to do the same think in the future, if I'll ever travel all around the world.

vol 3 / nr 76 / Padova, Italy (-> Dublin, Ireland)

Roisin wrote that she is Irish and recently moved to Padova to study. For her finding this print was just magical. [...] Classes haven't started yet so I don't know anybody and it can be a little lonely. However, as I was wandering around I found this! It made my day wonderful!

vol 3 / nr 46 / Paris, France

Clara and Guillaume discovered the letter on the crowded steps of the Loggia dei Lanzi in Firenze. After their holiday they took the print back to Paris where they live.

In front of David, we had a big crush for your card, your project, your idea of sharing it randomly, the whole idea!

vol 3 / nr 10 / Fiesole, Italy

Paul and his friend Jeremy found the print on the bus, number 7, travelling from Fiesole to Firenze. The print will stay where it was discovered: Paul will hang it in his home in Fiesole.

Art is very much about emotion - Fiesole has been a magical place. It is truly one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, and the world. [...] Finding your print randomly here kind of confirms to us the magic of Fiesole.

We think your project is wonderful - it appeals very much to the best instincts of people, it is positive, and your print is uplifting.

Random Prints vol. 3

This week I have left the first few letters and prints around Florence and Fiesole surroundings. The Random Prints letters will be left in random order - I don't know which print is left in which place.

The weather in Florence has been a bit unstable, which has made leaving the letters a bit more difficult as I have to try to find places where the wind doesn't take them or where the rain won't spoil them. (I don't actually think that the print would harm at all, but it might become a little wrinkled...)

I was very glad when Hahnemühle (the paper manufacturer; prints are printed on Hahnemühle smooth art paper) tweeted about this project and also the picture itself is now added to Hahnemühle "Album of Excellence".

So... I'm waiting for the first replies and searching for new places where to leave the next letters!

Random Prints vol. 3

One Cup of Fresh Sea-Water

Random Prints project vol.3 is here. I'll start to leave prints around next week.

Due to some Facebook changes old Random Prints group doesn't work so well anymore, so that's why I opened a Facebook page for this project - go and like to stay updated.

vol 2 / nr 8 / Esslingen, Germany

Tatjana found the print during a trip to Leipzig, Germany, with her boyfriend and another mate. They visited the St. Thomas Church when they noticed the envelope which was lying there on a bench. Tatjana's first thought was that the letter be some religious campaign or anything like it, but yet she picked it up.  

When I realized this was an art project and saw the atmospheric print, I was really, really happy and first couldn't believe it, because I love to deal with art and doing it myself, too. My two friends also were entertained about the fact that I of all people found this print. This coincidence exhilarated me very much and was one of the things which made our trip to Leipzig really special.

vol 2 / nr 82 / Munich, Germany

Maraike wrote to me, that there are often some old stuff - like old vessels or books - on their staircase, that you can take with you. But this one time there was an envelope, which Maraike collected and opened.

Seitdem hängt es über meinem Bett, es gefällt mir sehr gut und passt auch hervorragend zu den Aktzeichnungen und dem Alice im Wunderland-Print, der dort schon hängt.

vol 1 / nr 35 / Preston, England

Helen came across the Random Prints vol. 1 envelope whilst her husband and she were spending their honeymoon in Italy in 2010: We were admiring the amazing view of Florence offered by Piazzale Michelangelo. I absolutely adore the romaticism of finding an envelope addressed to "you, whoever you are", but my husband was rather suspicious. Opposites attract!

Helen is a big fan of exploring new cities and always says that you can discover so much by just wandering around the streets and getting lost in the atmosphere and architecture. Just look what we discovered this time! Thanks so much for humouring this old romantic.

vol 2 / nr 23 / Zurich, Switzerland

Her sister had found two of these letters (which really weren't very close to each other) and decided to bring another of these to her sister as a wedding gift (please view vol 2 / nr 90 / Solothurn, Switzerland). So, Isabelle got this print as her wedding gift "from unknown".

Es war spannend ein Geschenk zur Hochzeit von unbekannt zu erhalten.

vol 2 / nr 72 / Uppsala, Sweden

Ann-Marie found the print in Uppsala, Sweden and she will keep it to herself. The woman has a secret, and it is safe here in Uppsala, she tells. - I like trees and perhaps, some day I will tell them my secret...

vol 2 / nr 53 / Wetzikon, Zurich, Switzerland

Proshat found the envelope on her first holiday, when she was visiting Basel.It was really surprising because I love painting and I do oil painting just for hobby, she wrote to me. Now the picture hangs on the wall in front of her desk - I believe it brings me inspiration.

vol 2 / nr 30 or 33 / somewhere in Germany?

Daniel found the artwork while he was in a journey in Central-Switzerland and visite the Museum of Art in Luzern. He will frame the picture. He wrote me his interpretation of the work: It seems that the whispering tree tells us a story. It has no eyes, but already has a lot of experiences of its ambient. That's also an individual story. But I wonder is it happy or ... We will find perhaps the essence each one itself while regarding the blind tree.

vol 2 / nr 29 / Woodbridge, New Jersey, USA

Jack was visiting Europe for the first time and found the print while his class was in Lucerne. He told me that his heart dropped when he found the envelope: I am going into college to pursue a fashion career. The very idea of traveling around Europe with art is very inspiring, and I hope to one day have a similar journey of my own. 

Lucerne was my least favorite part of the trip, but gave me the best story.

Stories of vol.2

All the prints are now left around Germany, Switzerland and Sweden. I've already got responses from people with some beautiful stories and I will update stories to this blog in the beginning of August. I will do some forgering and change storydates to match the exact date and time when I received the email originally  (just like I have done with last year's project).

Right now you can view the listing of some new homes of the prints in the side panel of this blog, right after the headline RANDOM PRINTS VOL. 2 (2011).

vol 2 / nr 50 / Montreal, Canada

Benoit wrote me that finding the print was a wonderful surprise: I was traveling alone and felt sort of lonely so the print gave a connection - with you and with the character of the print; and I enjoyed it. Benoit will frame the print and it will be part of his "Travel Wall of Honor" -  a wall where he will display the favorite images of his numerous trips - in his new apartment in Downtown Montreal, Canada.

vol 2 / nr 66 / Mt. Vernon, Maine, USA

Julie and her son, assistant curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Basel, were waiting for someone to show up for a meeting at the museum shop, when his son found the envelope in a book. He gave it to me to take home and respond. I think that happened when I mentioned I liked the print.

vol 2 / nr 46 / Basel, Switzerland

Vanessa found the envelope when she was working in the restaurant. She was surprised when she found it and wasn't sure what to expect when she opened it.

I like the idea of bringing art closer to people by this way.

vol 2 / nr 65 / Hamburg, Germany

Torben found the print by one Tchibo cafe's table in townhall square in Hamburg. When Torben wrote the letter, the print was still waiting on shelf, but he is planning to hang it in their home in Hamburg.

Schoene und nette idee.