Continuing our series of introductions to old friends and new tutors who will be joining us for the 2022 creative courses season, today it is the turn of our new knitting tutor Louisa Harding. Inspired by the textile heritage of her home county of Yorkshire in England, Louisa and her husband Stephen established the Yarntelier brand, combining the finest yarns with beautiful designs, to make Continue Reading
Celebrating our return to normal (well almost!)
The Watermill October 21 newsletter is just out, and we are glad to say that the reports life in Posara is at last beginning to feel almost normal. After our first painting course in ages, at the end of August, we had two more in September and there are four more creative courses planned for this month. Yes, it is beginning to feel a lot more like normal. And about time, too! Our old Continue Reading
The Watermill is like a Tuscan dream, say Betty and Roland
Betty and Roland Gravois, who were on Mike Willdridge’s painting course at the beginning of last month, have just posted this charming note on Trip Advisor. They fought through hurricanes at home and international coronavirus bureaucracy to be with us, so we are very glad it was all worthwhile. We look forward to seeing them both again. They say: “This was our second time at the Watermill and Continue Reading
A sunny square starts Tim’s week
Here is Tim Wilmot’s first studio demonstration on his Watermill watercolour painting week with us. It’s a very evocative sunny Italian square (this one is actually Pisa). Today Tim and our guests are hoping to venture out on location to the imposing castle and fortified village of Verrucola, near the Watermill. We are, however, viewing the day with a little trepidation, since the forecast Continue Reading
Welcome to Mary, the passionate pastellist from Syracuse
It is that delightful time of year again, when we are finishing off our current season and looking forward, at last, to a full season of creative courses at the Watermill next year. Now is the time when we introduce (or re-introduce) old friends and new members of the inspiring and talented Watermill tutors’ team. You will be meeting them all over the next few days and weeks. First up, we Continue Reading
Time to reward yourself with a relaxing and inspiring 2022 Watermill creative course
We are delighted to announce that the 2022 Watermill website is now live with details of our exciting creative courses – painting, creative writing, knitting and Italian language – and ready for you to make your booking. Please click here to read all about it. It’s been a tough old year or so trying to run our business, but we have survived and we're looking forward to a full programme of Continue Reading
This picture is worth a thousand Likes
This picture by Grahame Booth, which I posted a few days ago on the Watermill Facebook page, attracted more than 1000 Likes. 1306, to be precise. Pictures of paintings by our inspiring Watermill tutors often produce more than 1000 Likes, but I think 1306 is probably a recent record. Grahame’s deceptively simple painting, of a man working away in his garden is one of my favourite paintings of Continue Reading
Come and learn Italian with us: it’s optimum
Here is a rather fine Italian word, which we like to think applies to our unique Italian Language Course at the Watermill. It is ottimo, which translates literally as ‘optimum’. I am grateful, as ever, to The Local, the English-language online newspaper for drawing my attention to its use over here. The Local’s Jessica Phelan writes: “One of the things I love about speaking Italian is that you Continue Reading
A teaser for Tim
We are looking forward very much to welcoming back our inspiring watercolour tutor Tim Wilmot, who, at last, will be with us for a week starting next Saturday. I thought it might be fun, just as a teaser, to show you some of the paintings that Tim has produced at the Watermill and on location around here in recent visits. I also thought it might just possibly engender a last-minute Continue Reading
Arrivederci and thank you
Here are the members of Brienne Brown’s watercolour week raising their glasses in the Watermill studio to celebrate a week of convivial company and inspiring teaching. We thank them all for braving the bureaucracy to enjoy a week of freedom in the secluded peace of the Watermill and to savour the beauty of the surrounding countryside. They certainly seemed to enjoy their week. Among the Continue Reading