Dear Friend,

A big thank you to our stalwart guests

It was just like the old days in October, four creative courses back-to-back, with people from all over the world making the Watermill come alive again. A heartfelt vote of thanks for all of those who battled through the bureaucracy to be with us. Your support is much appreciated. We know that many of you found the Watermill a peaceful respite after the troubles of the last year or so.

Our first October week was spent painting with a new tutor from the United States, Brienne Brown, who ran a joyous course with American guests. There they are above at the top, watching Brienne painting from the ancient walls of the nearby town of Fivizzano, looking down the valley to Posara. And below is another of Brienne’s demonstration watercolours:

Brienne was followed by Ali Hargreaves, with a lively group, mainly from the North of England, seen above showing off some of their work on our Friday exhibition. And, below, here is one of Ali’s demonstration watercolours:

(left) A watercolour by Brienne which sums up the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the Watermill
(right) Ali’s demonstration painting out on location in a mountain village

Then we had one of our unique Italian Language courses, run by the effervescent Francesca la Sala, who you can see below left playing tombola (in Italian) with the group while they nibbled chestnuts bought from the local market.

Our language students soaked up sunshine as well as Italian in the Watermill walled garden

And finally, we had our last painting course of the season with the ardent watercolourist Grahame Booth. This was truly an international week, with guests from the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Italy. At below left you can see them listening to Grahame’s words of wisdom, again in the sunny Watermill walled garden. And below right another demonstration picture he painted during the week

In this month’s newsletter we have stories on:

• What sort of activities(?) do non-participating partners get up to? Part 1
• What sort of activities do non-participating partners get up to? Part 2
• What sort of activities do non-participating partners get up to? Part 3
• A Top Tip for Patrons (and others) on how to make your paintings more dramatic
• Details of, and links to, all of our 2022 creative courses
• painting tutors of the month: Maggie Renner Hellmann and Ruth Korch
• Norah Gaughan has needlework and artistry in her blood
• Why 31 is the extra mile in Italy

Happy reading!

“Reader, we went to the Watermill.”
Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska
as Mr Rochester and Jane Eyre.
Picture: The Independent

Bring a partner:
there's plenty for them to do

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 courses, as well as a generous £GBP 250 discount if they share a room with you.

What sort of activities(?) do non-participating partners get up to? Part 1

We call them NPPs, Non-Participating Partners, spouses or friends who come with the guests on our creative courses, but do not participate in the painting, writing, knitting or Italian language sessions during the week.

We have plenty of optional alternatives for them, including trips and tennis, walks and vineyard visits, marble quarries and enigmatic statues, about which you can find out more by clicking here.

A visit to the stunning marble quarries of Carrara is one of the optional extras
we offer to our non-painting partners

But many of our NPP’s prefer to go out with their partners to our stunning locations and enjoy the wonderful scenery. Or, perhaps like Sandy, Peter and Steve (above), NPPs on Ali Hargreaves’ painting course, soak up some sun in the Watermill’s walled garden, enjoying a good book, before joining their partners for lunch at the Watermill or in a charming local restaurant.

And the good book? Why it’s A Matter of Perspective, that gripping tale of murder and intrigue in Renaissance Florence by Bill Breckon, available, as they say, in all good bookshops! (And on Amazon. Just click here for more at Amazon UK. or please click here for Amazon US.

What sort of activities do non-participating partners get up to? Part 2

While her husband Dan was painting with Grahame Booth, non-painting partner Pam Beccaria decided to try a little fishing in the River Rosaro which runs beside the mill. There are trout in the river, as well as bream and eels, but the old local fishermen tell us that there are far fewer than there used to be in their young day. “When I was a lad,” one of them once told us, “you could lie down on the bank and wiggle your fingers in the water, and in no time flat you’d be clutching a trout and yanking it on to the bank.“

The River Rosaro sweeping by the mill.
Even if it doesn’t provide dinner,
it’s a wonderful subject for painting,
or just lazing in the sun

We suspect those old fishermen’s tales are just that, old fishermen’s tales, but the modern river doesn’t seem to be teeming with trout. When we clean the Millstream from time to time, however, we find a few of them stranded, and we have to put them in a bucket of water and take them back to the river, so we know thy are still there. Our gardener Flavio Terenzoni lent Pam a rod, and brought some wriggling worms, and she tried her luck. But to no avail. and our vision of trout for 10 at dinner faded fast. Perhaps she should have tried lying on the bank and wiggling her fingers.

But it does go to show that there is plenty of fun to be had whether you take part in one of our creative courses or are an NPP! And we have plenty of other suggestions to keep you entertained. Please click here to find out more.

What sort of activities do non-participating partners get up to? Part 3

The most energetic of our NPP’s, so far at least, is Eric Friedlander. While his wife Lindsay was painting with Grahame Booth, Eric hired a whizzo bicycle, on which he explored the beautiful (and hilly) local countryside. It was hard work, but exhilarating, Eric told us. One day he pedalled the dozen or so miles from Posara up all the way to the Passo di Cerreto, the pass through the mighty Apennine mountains, the backbone of Italy. When asked what speed he did Eric replied: “I went up very slowly indeed. It took me three hours or so: I stopped a lot! But on the way back, it seemed like 20 minutes!”

We worked out that as well as those dozen miles along he pedalled up 1,000 metres, well over 3000 feet. Good going, Eric.

A Top Tip for Patrons (and others) on how to make your paintings more dramatic

For more about rewards of becoming a
Watermill Patron, please click here

As we have mentioned before, we have created a community of convivial like-minded people who have become Watermill patrons. There are lots of bonuses when you join.

Patrons receive regular exclusive videos keeping them up to date on all our activities and on top tips from our renowned creative tutors (see below), podcasts giving insights into Italian life, and, of course, delicious recipes from the Watermill kitchen. We have already produced 20 or so items for our Watermill patrons. These items remain exclusive to patrons for two months before being put on ‘general release’ so others can enjoy them too.

Among the latest general releases, you can enjoy Watermill tutor Randy Hale’s insights on how to make dramatic contrasts in your paintings. Please click here to enjoy the video.

Please click here to enjoy the video

(Patrons themselves also enjoy other continuing exclusive perks, such as free access to some of our live, interactive online painting sessions and discounts for our renowned residential creative courses here at the mill. They have their say, too, on future exciting projects at the Watermill.)

Why don’t you, too, become a Watermill patron and be among the first to hear all our news and enjoy our videos, podcasts, recipes and all the news the daily life of the Watermill? The first step is to click here to see an introductory video and hear more. Then join up to become part of our new Watermill adventures.

Hurry now to grab your place on a Watermill 2022 creative course

Next year’s creative courses – painting, writing, knitting and Italian language – are filling up fast. Some are even completely booked (although there are often cancellations, so it is worthwhile being on the waiting list) and others are already pretty full.

The landing page of the new Watermill 2022 website.
Just click here to open the delights

So, now really is the time to ensure you bag your place with the tutor of your choice. Book now, as they say, to avoid disappointment.

And remember, you will be Cool and Green at the Watermill: all our rooms are fully air-conditioned part by our hidden photovoltaic cells which make us self-sufficient in electricity.

Why not get away from it all, at last, and reserve your place on one of our renowned creative courses, with inspiring teaching, warm hospitality, stunning scenery, delicious food and the convivial company of like-minded people? The perfect antidote to coronavirus blues. Details and links to all our courses are below.

First, our inspiring painting courses.....