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 […]
Artemisia and women tutors at the Watermill
Whatever you think of the paintings of Artemisia Gentileschi (and Lois will tell you that I’m underwhelmed), she is undoubtedly a feminist icon, celebrated for her struggles, professional and personal, in a world dominated by men. So, it is of both artistic and sociological significance when a new picture by Artemisia is discovered. And that’s […]
And so farewell…
… to Grahame Booth, our genial and generous tutor and his enthusiastic and energetic group of painters. This which will be included three charming French people, and painters (and their non-painting partners) from the UK, the USA and Canada. As usual, Gina Shearston captures the atmosphere of their farewell show the video above. Judging by […]
Two great reviews for Tim Wilmot’s Watermill painting course last week. We seem to be doing something right!
We have just had another two great reviews for a Watermill creative week, this time for Tim Wilmot’s painting course last week. First, from Sheena Simons, from Toronto, Canada, who came with her husband Martin, a non-painting partner. Sheena writes: “From the moment we arrived to the last minute of our vacation at the Watermill […]
Warm hospitality, cool rooms via solar-powered electricity, all part of the plan to make the Watermill Green
Whatever your thoughts on global warming, whether it’s just ‘weather’ or an existential threat to humankind, there’s no denying it’s been rather hot in much of Europe during the last two or three weeks. “Scorcio,†as they used to say in the mock weather forecasts on that brilliant TV comedy programme The Fast Show. And […]