Have you watched The Gilmore girls on Netflix? Good storylines, in a gentle sort of way, but the dialogue is fascinating. Much of it is not really dialogue at all, but rather witty declamatory statements. None the worse for that. After all, George Bernard Shaw did it all the time. Nonetheless, good dialogue is essential, […]
80 days for Early Birds
It pays to be an Early Bird. You can do a lot in 80 days (Phineas Fogg, you will recollect, went round the world) – and you will do a lot as we approach the holiday season and all the preparations for Diwali,Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Diwali, Christmas and the like. But one thing that I would […]
Celebrate World Bamboo Day, be an Early Bird and other assorted flora and fauna in this month’s Watermill newsletter
What with ensuring the very best for our Watermill guests, weaving our way through the Italian bureaucratic maze, setting up our new autumn, winter and spring online sessions and finishing off our PhD (Lois) we been a bit slow publishing our October newsletter. But here it is at last. At least it is still October! […]
Superb mountain views for our Friday painters
It pays to be an Early Bird (see below.) On Fridays we take our painting guests to Monte dei Bianchi, a thousand-year-old village in the foothills of the Apuan Alps, with wonderful views of the mountains. Above is a short video by tutor Tim Wilmot, which captures the atmosphere of the day. Our thanks to […]
A peaceful location during a Watermill week
The charming little watercolour above, sent to me by Watermill painting tutor Randy Hale, brought back memories of the peaceful Thursdays when our painting (and knitting, writing and Italian language) location is a peaceful 16th Century monastery called Il Convento del Carmine, a little beyond and above the nearby town of Fivizzano, with views over […]
Mary Jane’s memories of a wonderful painting week
Mary Jane Cooley, who was with us for Randy Hale’s painting week earlier this month, sent me this charming watercolour of the archway from the courtyard into the Watermill’s walled garden. She says: “ Thank you for one of the highlights of my lifetime during my stay at the Watermill. I’ll be framing it, hanging it […]
Looking good in the rose pergola this morning
Why not come and see our colourful gardens and grounds for yourself, by joining one of our inspiring creative courses and enjoy a spectacular setting, warm hospitality, delicious food, the convivial company of like-minded people – and, of course, inspiring tuition from our sympathetic Watermill tutors. Our courses are pretty full up, but we do […]
William has been on 15 Watermill painting courses – and he’ll be back for more!
We have just had the pleasure of the company of William Shand, who we can now call an old friend, since has been on no fewer than 15 painting courses at the Watermill, the latest being Keiko Tanabe’s delightful watercolour week. He writes on TripAdvisor: “Can’t wait to go again.†And we can’t wait to […]
A toast a Watermill creativity and conviviality
An Australian painting tutor, an Ancient Roman drinking ritual, and some sublime Italian musical merrymaking. No one can say that Watermill blogs are not far-reaching and eclectic. The Australian painting tutor is Charles Sluga, who tells us in his recent newsletter that the expression of raising your glass and ‘making a toast’ comes from ancient […]
Time for you to play your part in the Watermill creative course Renaissance
This lovely picture of the Watermill Riverside gardens was the generous gift to Lois and me by Keiko Tanabe at the end of her painting course this week. Our thanks to Keiko for her generosity and for her inspiring teaching this week, which created a happy and fulfilling course. It is tremendous for all of […]