Friday saw the last day of our online, interactive painting week at the Watermill, where more than 80 people, from many parts of the world, painted along every day for seven days with our sympathetic and inspiring tutor Mike Willdridge. That’s his painting of our last day’s location, or rather, a washing line in the ancient village of Monte dei Bianchi, with the towering Apuan Alps in the background.
Now it’s time for reflection and for a vote of thanks not only to Mike for his charming and patient tuition and to Lois Breckon for her tireless and charming hosting of the seven days’ events, but also to our participants, whose enthusiasm and convivial company added to the enjoyment of the week.
Here are just a few of their valedictory comments:
“A huge and enormous thank you for hosting our amazing painting week at the Watermill. It’s been a real joy; obviously not as good as actually being there, but really the next best thing. I’ve found it’s lifted me out of myself and my worries, I’ve learned a lot, and found it very heart-warming to link in with so many folks from all over the globe.â€
“What a wonderful week of art you have organised for us. I’m just a beginner and I can see from the pictures submitted each day that the class had many talented people. You are exceptional in keeping so calm and patient with such a diverse group and having the answer for all events.â€
“The week was absolutely delightful! What a difference painting daily makes.â€
“Thank you for the fabulous on-line week painting at the Watermill. Really enjoyable, lovely to see everyone’s work and I learned some great techniques. So nice to have this opportunity during lock down, much appreciated.â€
“What a special week I have at the virtual Watermill…. it has been a real treat, I’m sure, for all. So many painters from across the world taking part must surely be an accolade. Mike is a super tutor and inspires one to try different approaches in watercolour. The different venues each day challenging at times but transporting one to the beauties of the area and the Watermill.â€
Thank you all very much indeed for those kind words – and the many others, for which we just don’t have the space. Thank you, too, to all our guests for making the week a very special time. It was hard work, but thanks to you, very fulfilling too.
I usually make a montage and a slideshow of some of the paintings our guests sent in to our online gallery, but since the final painting was in portrait, rather than landscape, format, this proved a little difficult, so I’m going just post eight of them below here in this blog. Again, our thanks to all who participated and sent in their paintings and my apologies to those I had to leave out. Those displayed are chosen entirely at random.
Now that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as the coronavirus is concerned we are confident that we will be able to return to the ‘real thing’: weekly fun filled, sun filled, warm and welcoming, inspiring painting courses at the Watermill. We are currently planning our grand awakening for this June and there are more details about everything on our website, which you can see by clicking here.
In the meantime, our thanks once again to everyone for their support – and happy painting!