The magnificent Apuan Alps near the Watermill. Photo: Tuscany Travel

There hasn’t been enough snow yet for skiing in the Apuan Alps near us, but I’m happy to say that my favourite online art magazine DailyArt has made up for it with a timely article on winter snow as seen through the eyes of the French Impressionists. The magazine says: “The effects of light on snow at the colours of the winter atmosphere were inspiration for the Impressionist painter.” So, they have chosen five wintry pictures, from Renoir, Caillebotte, Pissarro, Sisley and, of course, Monet, to add an extra snowy sparkle to the winter season.

Here is a joyful Renoir, busy with people enjoying themselves, ice-skating in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Skaters in the Bois de Boulogne, 1868, private collection, via DailyArt

You can look the Sisley, Caillebotte and Pissarro wintry scenes for yourselves, and read more in the DailyArt article by clicking here, but here I have saved the best until last: Monet, of course. Yes,  the final choice of the magazine is one of my favourite paintings of all time, Claude Monet’s The Magpie, with its wonderful depiction of light on snow. We made a blog about it sometime back, which you can read by clicking here, but in the meantime, here is Claude’s masterpiece again, to brighten our wintry days.

Claude Monet, La Pie, (The Magpie) 1868/1896. Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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There’s no need to worry about snow and ice on a Watermill painting holiday, of course. Sunny Italian weather is the order of the day.

And if, perhaps, it does become a little chilly, we have central heating in all our bedrooms and public rooms. On the other hand,f you feel too hot, all our rooms also have air conditioning, powered by our environmentally friendly solar panels, which make us self-sufficient in electricity.

All you have to do is to release your inner creativity, inspired by our internationally renowned tutors, supported and encouraged by your like-minded fellow guests. Please click here for more about the 2026 painting courses — and join us for inspiring teaching, warm hospitality, delicious food and wine, stunning locations and the convivial company of like-minded people.

And don’t forget our Early Bird 0ffer: £(GBP) 75 off the cost of any 2026 creative holiday if you book before the end of 2025.