Dear Friend,
We’re rather excited about our new Oomph! course with personal development tutor Caroline Carr, an inspiring retreat to re-energise your life. So much so, we’re think of taking it ourselves! It’s even more enticing for you: as well as the Watermill’s Early Bird offer (see below), Caroline herself has a very special offer for you if you book before the end of this year: one-to-one Oomphwork coaching with her for one month. There are more details in the story Free Oomphwork for Early Birds, below.
Talking of Oomph!, there’s been plenty of that in the bookings for the Watermill’s new creative courses next year: We already have more than 130 firm bookings for 2018. So, if you’ve a favourite tutor, a particular week, or a special bedroom that you like, please get in touch as soon as you can, and we’ll set aside a place for you. Just click here, select the type of course you are interested in (painting, knitting, writing, oomph!, yoga and or language), find out more about your tutor, then go to the Booking Enquiry form, fill in as appropriate and send it to us.
And don’t forget that Early Bird offer: If you book before 31 December 2017 there’s a £GBP 75 per student discount (about $US 100, $CAN 120, AUD 120) on all our 2018 creative courses. To enquire about availability and/or to reserve your place, just click here, select your course and bedroom, then click on Booking Enquiry.
And a taste of what's to come in this newsletter: the pictures above show an Italian roast chicken! (see story below: Conosciamo i nostri polli!) and the mill cascades tumbling from the newly renovated 17th Century watermill; while below left is a lovely oil painting of the harbour of Vernazza in the Cinque Terre by Watermill tutor Maggie Renner Hellmann, and to the right, a stunning watercolour of the bell-tower in nearby Fivizzano, by tutor Terry Jarvis.
Two early birds discuss
which Watermill course to take
An attractive offer for Early Birds
Why not join the Early Birds and spend the Autumn, Winter and Spring dreaming of your Watermill holiday!
Our Early Bird offer: if you book before 31 December 2017 there’s a £GBP 75 per person discount on all our 2018 creative courses.
To enquire about availability and/or to reserve your place, please go to www.watermill.net, select your course and bedroom, then click on Booking Enquiry. Or call us (UK no.) +44 20 7193 6246.
Which way to the
Watermill, Audrey?
Bring a partner: there’s plenty for them to do
Why not bring your friend or partner? They don’t have to participate in the course, but they will be able to enjoy the wonderful hospitality of the mill and, whenever they want, to come out with you to our beautiful locations. We also offer a range of Alternative activities for partners on all our 2018 courses, as well as a generous £GBP 250 discount if they share a room with you.
Bill’s offbeat guide to Florence
Our thanks to the National Geographic Traveller magazine for publishing Bill’s short piece on ‘My Florence’, the city where we live when we are not at the Watermill. You can see an on-line version by visiting here. Unfortunately they got the picture caption wrong. It’s not the Ognissanti church, but the Bargello! To compensate, the picture to the left is of Giotto’s stunning crucifix, which is in the Ognissanti church.
Nel will be back to join Rebecca for another fabulous pastel course
We had a lovely time last month with Nel Whatmore and Rebecca de Mendonça during their pastel course. It’s the first time we have concentrated solely on pastels for a week – and we’re going to do it again in 2018!
Nel wasn’t sure until recently whether she would be able to make it next year, but now she’s definitely joining Rebecca for another week-long course from Saturday 1 September to Saturday 8 September 2018.
We already have eight people signed up for this course soo now is the time to book your place, especially with our Early Bird discount offer. (See below.) To whet your appetite, here are some pictures from Nel from this year. Isn’t the one on the left incredible? It is Nel painting on a Watermill terrace early in the morning as the sun burns off the mist - Later on, some of the group joined her (right)
Rebecca demonstrating
in the ancient village
of Verrucola,
where we go to paint
on location on Mondays
Nel and Rebecca have created The New Pastel School after years of friendship and mutual respect for each other’s work. These two experienced pastel artists share the tuition, combining their expertise and great enthusiasm for this versatile and exciting medium.
(See www.rebeccademendonca.co.uk and www.nelwhatmore.com for more about them).
They’ll help you to see that there are always diverse ways to do things, even when working with the same pastels. Of their first visit to The Watermill, they say:“We and our students were made so welcome. It was really lovely to savour so many aspects of Italy, including lots of delicious food!”
To learn more about Nel and Rebecca and their course at The Watermill, please visit their Watermill Tutor Page.
A stellar painting course with Terry Jarvis
“I wanted to thank you for a most wonderful stay at The Watermill. Your treatment of us was terrific. Six stars doesn’t come close! I enjoyed every minute. Terry’s course was great. He is an excellent teacher – very encouraging and knows how to bring out the best in his students. He has a great personality.”
That's a comment from one of our guests on Terry Jarvis's inspiring painting course earlier this year. Terry will be returning here next year with a special week-long painting course in watercolours (andoils and acrylics). His course will run from Saturday 7 July to Saturday 14 July 2018. Why not come too and enjoy the six-star treatment?
Terry Jarvis is one of Australia’s leading watercolour artists. The son of a goldminer, he was inspired at an early age to draw and paint the landscape, as well as people and animals Terry also works in oils, pastels and acrylics and is happy to teach in those media too. He loves drawing and helping his students to develop their drawing skills.
Here’s what another guest on one of Terry’s Watermill courses had to say:“Terry Jarvis was superb with people, very positive and very relaxed. I’ve been on painting holidays before and learned nothing, but Terry was great. When you got stuck he’d come along with a smile – and a brush – and bring your picture to life. He wasn’t afraid to criticise your work, but he had a really positive attitude, which helped you to improve.”
To learn more about Terry and his course at The Watermill, please visit his 'Tutor's Page.
Come and join us and enjoy a six-star, sun-filled, fun-filled, inspiring week!
Painting holidays: the inspiring 2018 line-up
We are proud to announce the full line-up of our talented and inspiring painting tutors for 2018. We’ll be introducing then one by one in this and future newsletters
Paul Talbot-Greaves
28 April to 5 May 2018 - course full, waiting list open
Watercolours (and acrylics)
To learn more about Paul, his course at the mill and to see more of his pictures, please visit his Profile Page
Maggie Renner Hellmann
19 May to 26 May 2018
‘Courageous Color Workshop’
To learn more about Maggie, her course at the mill and to see more of her pictures, please visit her Profile Page
Sandra Strohschein
26 May to 2 June 2018 and
2 June to 9 June 2018
Watercolours
To learn more about Sandra, her course at the mill and to see more of her pictures, please visit her Profile Page
Sarah Yeoman
9 June to 16 June 2018 and
16 June to 23 June 2018
Watercolours
To learn more about Sarah, her course at the mill and to see more of her pictures, please visit her Profile Page
Terry Jarvis
7 July to 14 July 2018
Watercolours (and oils, pastels and acrylics)
To learn more about Terry, his course at the mill and to see more of his pictures, please visit his Profile Page
Rebecca de Mendonça & Nel Whatmore
1 September to 8 September 2018
Pastels
To learn more about Rebecca & Nel, their course and to see more of their pictures, please visit their Profile Page
Mike Willdridge
8 September to 15 September 2018
Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics with an emphasis on sketching and drawing on location)
To learn more about Mike, his course at the mill and to see more of his pictures, please visit his Profile Page
Claire Warner- course full, waiting list open
15 September to 22 September 2018
Watercolours (and oils and acrylics)
To learn more about Claire, her course and to see more of her pictures, please visit her Profile Page
Vicki Norman
6 October to 13 October 2018
Oils en plein air
To learn more about Vicki, her course at the mill and to see more of her pictures, please visit her Profile Page
Tim Wilmot
13 October to 20 October 2018
Watercolours
To learn more about Tim, his course at the mill and to see more of his pictures, please visit his Profile Page
Come and join us and enjoy the magic at the mill!
*** Why not bring your non-painting partner as well?
There’s a generous £250 discount for him/her if they share a room with you - and there’s plenty for them to do. Have a look at our Partner’s Activities Page for suggestions.
Use the 2018 programme link below to view the full list of our inspiring 2018 painting tutors
Wonderful,’ ‘heavenly,’ ’perfection.’ Just some of the praise for Lisa’s knitting week this year
We had a fantastic feedback from the participants on Lisa Richardson’s knitting course here this year. Our guests enjoyed themselves so much that no fewer than seven of them immediately booked for next year! Now we ‘ve risen to 10 bookers for Lisa’s course, so we have room for only two more knitters. Time to grab those last places!
Here are some comments from our guests on Lisa’s course this year:
“Had the most wonderful knitting holiday at the Watermill in Posara! Really everything was taken care of by our perfect hosts Lois and Bill as well as by the rest of the great staff. Having Lisa Richardson as our knitting tutor was a delight and great inspiration! A huge thank you all.”
“A simply heavenly knitting retreat at the Watermill with the lovely Lisa Richardson.” Many thanks to Lois and Bill for being the perfect hosts.”
“Such perfection, I am spoiled for anywhere else! A wonderful relaxing holiday with knitting. Everything was superb, and I was particularly touched by the warm friendly reception from Bill and Lois. The knitting was led by the talented and delightful Lisa Richardson, a calm presence who worked miracles with those of us who struggled from time to time. Our finished work is something we shall all treasure.”
“Knitting for a week. Sounds strange? Couldn't have been better. Bill and Lois the most welcoming and generous hosts for whom nothing was too much trouble. Lisa Richardson a patient and experienced tutor. Our outings were all perfectly chosen. Our food divine. My room very special with gorgeous views. Lovely gardens and flowers everywhere. The sound of the river flowing by and the church bells ringing. Lovely group of people to spend time with. Perfect peace at The Watermill.”
Lisa Richardson ’s name is instantly associated with the Rowan pattern house. In addition to her designer role, she manages the pattern editing process and mentors newer members of the design team.
She says, “My biggest drive is to help people create something that they will cherish for years to come”.
Lisa is an enthusiastic, sympathetic and inspirational tutor and, as you can see, wins much praise from her workshop participants. For her week-long course at the mill she has devised two specially designed projects for you to knit: one that fully justifies her label as ‘slip stitch queen’, the other demonstrates filet crochet (but with a knitted option for those that prefer to knit). In addition, Lisa will be demonstrating the art of embellishment for those knitters who are happiest knitting in stocking stitch but want to add colour and pattern to their project with embroidery.
Here’s the current 2018 knitting line-up:
Sarah Hazell - three or four places remaining
5 May to 12 May 2018
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more about Sarah and her courses at the mill, please visit her Profile Page
Marie Wallin - course full, waiting list open
14 July to 21 July 2018
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more about Marie and her course at the mill, please visit her Profile Page
Lisa Richardson - two places remaining
29 September to 6 October 2018
Knitting and La Bella Vita
To learn more about Lisa and her course at the mill, please visit her Profile Page
Don't forget your partner!
And don’t forget that your friend or partner doesn’t need to participate in the creative course, whether it’s painting, language, knitting or yoga.
We offer them a range of Alternative activities for partners on all our 2018 courses, as well as a generous £GBP 250 discount if they share a room with you.
Write your life stories with Jo Parfitt
Writing under the vines
Thousands of people who would like to write their life story, or at least a part of it, but just don’t know where to start. How do you capture on paper all the interesting, exciting, amusing, inspiring things that have happened in your life? And how to you make them into a series of stories, or a longer memoir, that other people really want to read?
Who better to help you than Jo Parfitt, author, journalist, teacher, blogger, conference speaker and poet, who has helped more than 100 authors get into print.
She's an inspiring, compassionate and encouraging teacher: her motto is 'sharing what I know to help others to grow'.
Jo is returning to The Watermill next Autumn to take one of her unique courses on writing your life stories. Her course will run from 22 to 29 September 2018. It’s the perfect first step for any writer wanting to develop the skills and confidence necessary to move into writing memoir, non-fiction, articles or blogs. Jo’s Write Your Life Stories creative writing course is designed to help you produce your best work, to find your true writer's 'voice' and to write authentically. Among other things, you’ll discover the secret of SPICE, the seven steps to writing life stories, and put this into practice right away.
You will have the perfect opportunity to make new friends in the company of like-minded people, learning fresh writing techniques with skilled help from Jo... and enjoying unspoilt Italy and, of course, fantastic food and wine. The course is designed to help both enthusiastic beginners and more experienced writers. We already have eight people booked in, so have room for four or so more.
Jo Parfitt
22 September to 29 September 2018
Write Your Life Stories
To learn more about Jo and her course at The Watermill, please visit her Profile Page
Conosciamo i nostri polli! Come and learn Italian with us and savour la bella vita
The English and Americans may know their onions (a whacky phrase that originated who knows where), but it’s chickens about which the Italians are knowledgeable. And presumably they don’t count them before they’re hatched.
Be that as it may, we reckon we at the Watermill know our chickens (Conosciamo i nostri polli in the plural) when it comes to helping you to learn this beautiful language on our week-long Italian language course at the Watermill – and, of course,joining with you in savouring la bella vita italiana.
We already have eight bookings for this unique holiday next June, so have room for only four or so more students.
We’d love you to join us.
There will not only be formal lessons under the vine verandah (some 20 hours in the week), but you’ll also be making trips and excursions to enjoy the natural beauty of Lunigiana, the area surrounding the mill, to explore its history and culture, to sample its traditional foods – and above all, to meet the people, speaking Italian, practising what you’ve learned.
We’ve teamed up again with the prestigious Florence language school, Langues Services, to design a week in which people can learn Italian in the most natural and enjoyable way ever. With our wonderful tutor Giulia Balestri, you’ll meet Italian people and interact with their daily lives.
A couple of comments from this year’s language course:
“We would like you to know how much we appreciated our stay with you at Posara. As hosts, you made us feel most welcome; and the combination of language lessons, food and excursions was excellently balanced. We were unaware of the Apuan mountain region – it is spectacularly beautiful. Altogether a unique and delightful experience. With fond memories of your lovely home and very personal hospitality.”
“What an amazing week. Thank you, Bill, Lois and your excellent team. Giulia was great and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. Can’t wait to do it all again....”
Your immersion into the language and culture of real Italians will be customised for you, to suit your curiosity and your interests (we’ll talk to you about them before the course), helping you to treasure everything you learn and make it a seamless part of who you are. You will have the perfect opportunity to make new friends in the company of like-minded people learning and improving their Italian language skills... and enjoying unspoilt Italy and, of course, fantastic food and wine.
Giulia Balestri - four or so places left
30 June to 7 July 2018
Italian language week
To learn more about Giulia and her course at The Watermill, please click here
Claire’s been working hard on her inspiring new 2018 yoga retreat itinerary
After what one of our guests called a ‘fabulously revitalising week’, on her yoga retreat this year, Claire Murphy has been working hard on an even more inspiring itinerary for next year. She tells us: “The title of the retreat is Nourish Your Elemental Self and it will include yoga, meditation, creative writing & art journaling.”
Inspired by the elements, she has been developing and refining themes for each day. Here’s the outline guide:
- Sunday: Earth
- Monday: Water
- Tuesday: Fire
- Thursday: Air
- Friday: Ether
.... all part of our aim to nourish you mind, body and soul.
Claire’s unique retreat will run from Saturday 25 August to Saturday 1 September 2018. You can find out more by clicking here.
Just relax! We'll take care of you
We’ll nourish your soul on rural walks and visits to ancient walled towns and hilltop villages, castles and convents. You’ll also savour the relaxed atmosphere of la bella vita italiana in local cafes, shops, restaurants and markets.
We’ll venture a little journal writing and painting in The Watermill studio overlooking the river or under the shade of the vine verandah to nourish your mind.
And we’ll nourish your body with fresh, home-cooked, nutritionally balanced meals lovingly prepared by the Watermill cooks, with many of the ingredients freshly picked from The Watermill’s own gardens. There will be vegetarian options for every meal, of course. Private sessions with a local Shiatsu practitioner are also available, at cost, on request.
Here’s a comment from one of this year’s guests: “The yoga retreat was the perfect mix of physical postures, meditation and thoughtful contemplation in glorious mountain surroundings. I particularly appreciated how you created a gentle space for all attendees no matter where they were on their yoga journey or what physical issues they were dealing with. The journaling and art prompts offered the opportunity for creative experimentation and expansion. All in all, a fabulously revitalising week.”
Yoga, meditation and massage have been a way of life for Claire Murphy for more than 25 years and she’s passionate about teaching them. Together we’ve created a unique seven-day programme, which we’ll update and augment as time goes on.
2018 Yoga retreat
Claire Murphy
25 August to 1 September 2018
Nourish - mind, body and soul
To learn more about Claire and her course at The Watermill, please visit her Profile Page
Free Oomphwork for Early Birds!
We are excited about our new personal development retreat at The Watermill with life coach Caroline Carr. We think it is going to be rather special. Caroline says: “I have collaborated with Bill and Lois to create a fabulous life-changing week which will inspire you to connect with your own inner freedom and find peace, strength, vitality and joy. As well as fun, powerful (and often hilarious) Oomphwork exercises, group discussions, and loads of laughter – some gorgeous trips have been organised too: Inspiring Oomphwork and exquisite Italy all wrapped up in one!”
And as well as the Watermill Early Bird discount, Caroline is also offering something special for early bookers too. If you book before the end of the year, she’ll provide special sessions of free Oomphwork... Caroline says: “The free coaching would be via Skype or WhatsApp, or on the phone if they don’t have those. I will speak with everyone prior to the retreat anyway, but for those who are having the free coaching, I will also use this initial call in order to get an idea of how I might work with them. They’d have some sessions – two or three – or maybe even just one longer one. I can’t be more specific because everyone’s so different! But we’ll work together to find the best way of doing it.”
The Find your Oomph! Retreat is a unique opportunity to reconnect with your true self, the real you – the one who feels free to run barefoot through the grass, or dance like nobody’s watching, or to sing from the top of a mountain! To laugh and play imaginatively and have fun. It’s GREAT to get back to that place inside yourself again, and to witness its transformative effect.
If the words empowered, strong, fun, joy, delight, shine, sparkle, authentic, loving, warm, appreciative, enthusiastic, playful and sincere appeal to you (these are all Oomph! qualities by the way), then you’ll love this life-changing week, which will run from Saturday 18 to Saturday 25 August 2018, will inspire you to connect with your own inner freedom and find peace, strength, vitality and joy. Inspiring teaching and exquisite Italy all wrapped up in one!
Caroline Carr has been a successful hypnotherapist and life coach for many years. She uses a variety of transformative practices to embody joy and inner freedom into your everyday life. As well as facilitated discussions and group coaching, she works with energy states, movement, voice and posture, Laughter Yoga, and deep healing relaxation – using various techniques.
You’ll leave with more true confidence, clarity, positivity, energy, enthusiasm and inner strength than you may have experienced in the past. You’ll make new friends who, having shared this experience together are likely to foster a strong and supportive bond. You’ll enjoy a lightness of spirit, and the bliss of becoming a soul well nourished, supported by practical techniques and resources to continue to use after the retreat ends. You’ll find yourself again. It’ll be like coming home to yourself – the real you.
2018 Oomph! retreat
Caroline Carr
18 August – 25 August 2018
Find your Oomph! retreat
To learn more about Caroline and her retreat at The Watermill, please visit her Profile Page
Everything's included in your watermill painting holiday, yoga or Oomph! retreat, creative writing holiday, knitting week or Italian Language course
Don’t forget that everything is included in the cost of a painting holiday, yoga retreat, knitting, personal development or language holiday: tuition, accommodation (including all linen and towels), pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals and local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport; an excursion by train to visit the ancient walled city of Lucca or the stunning seaside villages of the Cinque Terre). All you have to do is to get to Pisa airport and we do the rest.
Whether you're travelling alone or with a partner you can be sure of a warm welcome, and that you'll be well looked after. We have built our reputation on the comfort of the mill and the care we provide.
Become a friend of The Watermill at Posara
Visit our Friends Website (Link below). Just follow the instructions to Register as a Friend and then Log In to enjoy special privileges. If you become a ‘Friend’ (it will cost you nothing) you’ll enjoy many exclusive benefits, including dozens of practical and inspiring tips from our international painting and creative writing tutors and recipes from the watermill’s mouth-watering menus. And there will be exclusive offers for Friends to make our courses and holidays even more attractive.
We very much look forward to welcoming you to the mill next year, and for those of you who have already tasted the many delights at The Watermill at Posara, we look forward to welcoming you back.
With very best wishes a tutti
Lois and Bill Breckon