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
Is that my bedroom? Memories of Watermill painting courses
When Brienne Brown published this painting of the Watermill courtyard on her Facebook page, a number of respondents asked: “Is that my room?” The painting brought back fond memories of their stay with us and, as Brienne says: “All the rooms are fantastic. It’s magical here.” We still have a few bedrooms available for the last three of our painting courses this year, and for our unique Italian Continue Reading
Inspiration over the centuries
The picture above of Brienne Brown and her guests on a Watermill painting course triggered a childhood memory of a famous painting (in my day at least) by John Everett Millais, called ‘The Boy of Raleigh’, where the famous explorer and his chum are inspired by stirring tales of the sea. There is something of the same feel with Brienne’s group as she demonstrates how to paint the valley Continue Reading
How our Watermill painting tutors look differently at the same location
I don’t know about you, but I am always intrigued on how our Watermill painting tutors choose different viewpoints and different styles when we go out on location during a Watermill week. Yesterday Brienne Brown and her group went to the castle and ancient village of Verrucola, a few miles from the Watermill, and the striking and colourful watercolour above is Brienne’s first take on the Continue Reading
Take advantage of easing travel rules and escape to a Watermill creative course
. It is getting easier by the minute to travel from the UK to Italy as the British government eases the regulations: as from 4 October there will be no need for our vaccinated guests returning to the UK to have a pre-Covid test, nor an expensive PCR test in the UK on Day Two of their return. Although we have managed very well in organising inexpensive pre-departure tests for our guests at Continue Reading
Grahame would like you to join him painting in Tuscany and he’s got some simple tips to make your watercolours even better
We are looking forward to welcoming Grahame Booth Watermill for the first time next month. And so is he! He sent us this little note, together with some simple tips to improve your watercolours Grahame Booth, one of the Watermill’s new, inspiring tutors, only started to paint in his early 30s (some 30 years ago), and because he clearly remembers the problems of frustrations of learning to Continue Reading
Tim will help you to paint your own Watermill masterpieces
I don’t know about you, but I am fascinated watching our Watermill tutors at work and seeing wonderful paintings emerge, almost like magic. from a blank sheet of paper. Paintings like Tim Wilmot’s evocative interpretation of the inside of our 19th century mill above, complete with ancient millstones, grain hoppers, and exposed chestnut roof beams. Tim painted this during one of his online Continue Reading
Spare our self-deprecating British blushes, but that’s what I call a testimonial!
We Brits become a little embarrassed with fulsome praise, so we went a little pink around the ears reading Kristina Fransson’s comments on Tripadvisor about her painting holiday with us last week. But we are secretly very pleased, of course. Kristina, from Sweden, was on Mike Willdridge’s watercolour course.She says: “A taste of paradise. Everything was great! I can describe it as a real paradise Continue Reading
The Watermill demijohns inspire Grace
This charming watercolour was painted by our guest Grace McKee during last week’s painting course with Mike Willdridge – and she has donated it to the Watermill. It is a lovely, gentle painting, Grace: we shall have it framed, then make sure that it hangs proudly at the Watermill. Thank you very much for the kind gift. The demijohns in the Watermill courtyard have inspired our guests for Continue Reading