Those of you who have been on a Watermill creative holiday will know that during their stay we lend our guests rather elegant insulated water bottles,. The water itself comes from a clever little dispenser in the communal kitchen, which provides filtered water either chilled or at ambient temperature, fizzy or flat. The reason is […]
On the twelth day before Christmas, my true love gave to me… a week of Watermill convivial creativity
Yes, I know, and I know you know, that the 12 days of Christmas refer to the 12 days after Christmas, when your true love will be giving you a myriad of things including the proverbial partridge in a pear tree. But today is the twelfth day before Christmas, so you have little time left […]
An extraordinary view of the Apennine mountains yesterday afternoon
Lois Breckon took this picture of the Apennine mountains, the backbone the backbone of Italy, about 12 miles away from the Watermill, yesterday afternoon as the winter setting sun bathed their snow-covered flanks in glorious red. We do have some amazing sunsets, both winter and summer, here in Posara. Come and see for yourself on […]
Eric’s penguin goes fishing this year
Watermill painting aficionado Eric Drewery has just sent us another of his amusing Christmas cards, which feature a penguin enjoying himself at various locations around the mill. In this year’s card, shown above, our friendly penguin is fishing in the river Rosaro. He gets about, that penguin: Last year he was high-wiring across the Rosaro […]
The art of hygge and the hygge of art
I suppose we learned about hygge first-hand during a ‘house-swap’ with our Danish painting tutor Annelise Pio Hansen in the early 2000s, when the Breckon family spent a week or so in Denmark, not only staying in Annelise’s house, but also meeting her painting friends, who entertained us in their homes, making us feel welcome, […]
An imposing mediaeval castle in Tuscany: just one of the atmospheric locations to inspire you on your Watermill painting holiday with Keiko Tanabe
I have only recently come upon this wonderful, atmospheric watercolour of the 13th century Malaspina castle in Verrucola, one of the locations on our Watermill painting courses. Isn’t it a stunningly evocative painting? Here’s another: We go to paint at Verrucola every Monday on a painting course and we have other amazing locations as well: […]
Etymological trivia arising from Tom, Dick and Harry
We were talking yesterday about Tizio, Caio e Sempronio, the Italian equivalents of Tom, Dick and Harry and as I was writing that piece, I was intrigued by all the etymological trivia I gathered during my research. I suspect that many of my readers have a love of words, just as I do, so I […]
The secret of life, the universe and everything is not 42, but 40 and 34 could bring happiness
Do you remember Douglas Adams’ wonderful radio comedy sci-fi series A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?, in which a supercomputer (a sort of early Artificial Intelligence machine), was asked: “What’s the secret of life, the universe and everything?” The answer was disappointing: It looks as if we will have to go on searching! Might I […]
A wonderful Donatello terracotta Madonna for the Bargello
I think Donatello is my favourite artist. It’s a close-run thing with Brunelleschi, but the latter was rather short-tempered, while Donatello sounds much more fun, so I guess he gets the prize by a very short head. So, I was delighted to learn that another Donatello masterpiece, this time a terracotta Madonna, has been purchased […]
Is this the most user-friendly art gallery in Italy? Artistic masterpieces in a magnificent setting
Last week Lois and I were in Rome, celebrating her birthday with friends. While there we took the opportunity to visit again the Palazzo Doria Panphili and its knockout collection of paintings amassed by the rich and powerful family over hundreds of years . Open to the public, it is probably the most visitor-friendly art […]