Ida has been an investigator of the natural world since she can remember. As a child she was always interested in the scientific nature of the the world; picking up bugs, collecting objects on walks - a practice she continues to this day. Growing up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she was surrounded by a hyper analytical culture influenced by the elite academia in the region. As a child in this environment, "...I never thought it would be possibility to a painter...". 

In 2008 Ida received her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Illustration, specializing in scientific illustration. She chose this path over a fine art painting degree because she "...wanted to graduate and get a job". After receiving her degree in Rhode Island, she returned to Cambridge to figure out what her next steps would be. She quickly realized that she needed a change in her surroundings to more avidly dedicate herself to her work - New Orleans was her new destination. "...If I have to be a waitress and paint on the side, I'd rather be doing it in New Orleans.". 

Shortly after moving to New Orleans in 2009, she became involved in the movie industry. The time demands of the profession did not allow her anytime for painting and she ultimately found the experience to be unfulfilling. After three years in production, she took a one-month hiatus to focus on painting a group of work for one of her first exhibitions in New Orleans. She transformed her apartment into a full studio and dedicated herself daily to producing a large body of paintings. 

Her first exhibition was held during Mardi Gras at an artist collective space on Magazine Street called 10 Gallery. New Orleans gallery owner and artist, Kevin Gillentine, attended the show and offered Ida an exhibition at his studio in 2013. That was the first step to launching Ida's career which resulted in representation through other galleries in the region, including Ann Connelly Fine Art in 2018.