Watermill Blog

Information and news about our creative centre in Tuscany Italy

Our Italian language is suitable for all levels, as well as being enlightening and fun

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Concentrating on our riverside terrace

Come and join for fun-filled week soaking up the beautiful Italian language and speaking and understanding it as never before. You will benefit enormously, whether you are beginner or have studied Italian for years.

The reason is that we use a special method of teaching a foreign language to adults, which enables each person not only to learn from our teacher, (the wonderful Giulia Balestri), but from each other. Lois talked to a few of the participants on last year’s course to see what they thought.

We use the special approach of the Langues Services language school in Florence, who helped develop this course for the Watermill. They were inspired by the philosophy of Professor Bertrand Schwartz of Paris University, who overturned the concept of teaching to adults with a method that not only develops theoretical knowledge, but practical know-how as well.

The aim is to enhance the personal qualities of each student, tailoring the teaching to their needs and ambitions, establishing active and confident relationships, where the student is the true protagonist in the course. Well before it starts we will send you a questionnaire about your interests and aspirations and integrate your answers in the week’s tuition.

Soaking up the language – and the last rays of the sun in the Watermill walled garden.

This really is a ‘course with a difference’. Not only are there formal lessons on the vine verandah, riverside terrace and walled garden (some 20 hours in the week), but you also make visits, guided tours and excursions to savour the natural beauty of Lunigiana, the area around the mill, to explore its history and culture, to sample its traditional foods – and above all, to meet the people, speak Italian, and practise what you’ve learned.

Enjoying learning from each other in the dappled shade of the vine verandah.

The Watermill has teamed up again this year with Giulia, to produce a week in which you can learn Italian in the most natural and enjoyable way, helping you to treasure everything you learn and make it a seamless part of who you are.

As another course participant said: â€œA super language week: well organised, giving us a taste of the ‘real Italy.’ Despite the disparity in ability our tutor managed to help all of us towards a better understanding and production of the Italian language. The lessons were fun, interactive and helped me enormously.

Here are some previous students enjoying the first day of a course :

Giulia Balestri
14 – 21 October 2023
A novel approach to learning Italian 
To learn more about our unique Italian language course please visit our Language Programme  page

Come and pastel passionately with Padgett!

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Mary’s Tuscan hillside in May}

Mary Padgett, a passionate pastellist* from Syracuse, New York, USA, came to the Watermill for the first time last summer – and we all had an amazing time. After her return to the USA she wrote:  â€œIf you have ever wanted to come on one of my European trips, next year is the year to do it! We’ll be at the beautiful and historic Watermill where our hosts, Bill and Lois Breckon, provide generous hospitality and the perfectly planned itinerary to give us an ideal week of painting and immersion into rural Tuscany.”

*Mary will work in soft pastel, but is also skilled in oils and acrylics and is happy to help those who would like to paint in those mediums too. She says: â€œMy role is to create a supportive working environment, which will encourage creative exploration, and further each participant’s evolution as an artist.”

Another atmospheric Mary Padgett pastel: the view from the walls of Fivizzano down the River Rosaro towards Posara.

Mary says: â€œThere is no better way to visit Italy than as a plein air artist! We’ll focus on observation with all our senses; looking, listening, and smelling the unique character of the Tuscan landscape to create drawings and paintings from the experience.”

One of last year’s students said of her week at the Watermill: “My list of appreciations is long, but foremost is that every detail is accounted for – there are simply NO logistical hitches! guests are totally free to both pursue what they came to do – in my case painting – and to enjoy the beautiful surroundings (of which I took at least 1,000 photographs).

To see an aerial video of the Watermill, please click here

“Nothing was lacking – the facilities are a wonderful blend of history, beauty, and functionality; the food is plentiful, soulful, and clearly made by hand; the house wines are lovely (not to mention the daily aperitivi and digestivi); and the espresso flows at any time of day. the hosts even lent me a mat and weights so I could continue my daily workout routine. there were absolutely no extra charges or fees.

 In short, my painting tutor was able to totally focus on her students in this environment – what an amazing luxury.”

We’ll take care of everything while you concentrate on your painting

Tutor Mary Padgett herself wrote: â€œIt was an absolute pleasure to teach at the Watermill. You and Lois have created an ideal environment for artist guests. We all felt welcomed and well-cared for throughout the week.

“Our painting sites exceeded my expectations, each one distinct and each with a variety of options. I’ve taught workshops in Spain, France, and at another location in Italy and the Watermill gets my vote as the best.”

She added: â€œThis is a gem of a place and I encourage you to go there, it is a fabulous experience!

A dramatic short of the mill from the walled garden. Picture: Lynne Lund

If you would like to take advantage of our Early Bird discount offer: £75 (British pounds) off Mary’s 2023 painting course, you better hurry. The offer expires on 31 December 2022, so you’ve only a day or two left.

Mary Padgett

Mary Padgett
26 August – 2 September 2023 â€“ still plenty of places
Pastels (and other portable media) en plein air
To learn more about Mary and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

80 days for Early Birds

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A wonderful evening picture of the Watermill by Katie Guest

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 urge you to do the next 80 days, that is, before the end of the year, is to take advantage of our Early Bird discount offer and book your creative holiday at the Watermill at Posara for 2023.

Yes, if you book now, there is a £75 (English pounds) discount on every one of our 2023 relaxing and inspiring creative courses.

Places are filling up fast: 170 people have already booked in for our painting, creative writing, knitting and Italian language courses, out of a potential total of some 250 places. So now is the time to reserve your spot, and spent the next busy few months in quiet anticipation of inspiring teaching, warm hospitality, delicious food and wine, stunning locations and, of course, the convivial company of like-minded people.

A good time was had by all. The farewell students’ photograph from one of Mike Willdridge’s courses this year.

Below is a list of all our 2023 courses courses, each with a link for more details. Scroll through and find out which excites you most. (Don’t despair if you find a tutor or a date that you like and it is already fully booked. There are often cancellations and if you get in touch with us via the Watermill Contact Form by clicking here, we will put you on a waiting list.

We would love you to join us.

Painting courses

Harry Westera

Harry Westera
15 – 22 April 2023 Still plenty of spaces
Watercolours
To learn more about Harry and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Ali Hargreaves

Ali Hargreaves
22 – 29 April 2023 Course full, waiting list open
Watercolours
To learn more about Ali and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Murray Inca

Murray Ince
29 April – 6 May 2023 Still plenty of spaces
Gouache, pen and ink, line and wash
To learn more about Murray and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Randy Hale

Randy Hale
13 – 20 May 2023 Two or three places laft
Watercolours
To learn more about Randy and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Pamme Turner

Pamme Turner
20 – 27 May 2023 Four or five places left
Watercolour and gouache en plein air
To learn more about Pamme and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

James Willis

James Willis
3 – 10 June 2023 One or two places left
Watercolours
To learn more about James and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Herman Pekel

Herman Pekel
10 – 17 June 2023 Two or three places left
Watercolours
To learn more about Herman and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Maggie Renner Hellmann

Maggie Renner Hellmann
24 June – 1 July 2023 Four or five places left
Oil and watercolour (acrylic, pastel)
To learn more about Maggie and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Mark Dober

Mark Dober
1 – 8 July 2023 Still plenty of spaces
Watercolour en plein air
To learn more about Mark and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Belinda Biggs

Belinda Biggs
8 – 15 July 2023 Still plenty of spaces
Watercolours
To learn more about Belinda and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Cynthia Armstrong

Cynthia Armstrong
19 – 26 August 2023 Still plenty of spaces
Watercolours, Travel painting in watercolours and gouache
To learn more about Cynthia and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Mary Padgett

Mary Padgett
26 August – 2 September 2023 Still plenty of spaces
Pastels (and other portable media) en plein air
To learn more about Mary and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Mike Willdridge

Mike Willdridge
9 – 16 September 2023 Three or four spaces left
Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Brienne M Brown

Brienne M Brown
16 – 23 September 2023 One or two places left
Watercolours
To learn more about Brienne and her course at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Charles Sluga

Charles Sluga
23 – 30 September 2023 Two or three places left
Watercolours (acrylics and oils)
To learn more about Charles and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Tim Wilmot

Tim Wilmot
30 September – 7 October 2023
Watercolours Three or four places left
To learn more about Tim and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Grahame Booth

Grahame Booth
7 – 14 October 2023
Watercolours Two or three places left
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile Page.

Knitting courses

Georgia Farrell
6 – 13 May 2023
Knitting and La Bella Vita Fully booked, waiting list open
To learn more about Georgia and her week at the mill, please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile page

The Watermill at Posara for painting, creative writing, knitting, and Italian language holidays/vacations/workshops, Tuscany, Italy.

 Knitting retreat
15 – 22 July 2023
Knitting and La Bella Vita Three or four places left
To learn more about the Watermill Knitting Retreat please visit the Knitting Retreat Information page

Writing course

Jo Parfitt
17 – 24 June 2023
Writing Your Life Stories Five or six places left
To learn more about Jo and her course at the mill please visit her please visit her 2023 Tutor Profile page

Italian Language week

Giulia Balestri
14 – 21 October 2023
A novel approach to learning Italian Still plenty of spacs
To learn more aboutmore about our unique Italian language course please visit our Language Programme page

Enjoy each other’s company.


‘Paint the brightest colours first.’ A watercolour tip from Mark

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It is worthwhile being an Early Bird. See below.

Watermill painting tutor Mark Dober, whose wonderful multi-sheet watercolour is shown above, has sent us this smart little tip to make your paintings even better.

Mark says: “After completing the pencil stage of sketching in your subject, paint in the small areas of brightest colour, for example, where your subject includes a garden, paint in the flowering plants first. Then you paint around these.

“A lovely play of negative and positive shapes can result from this approach, will help bring to your painting a decorative and abstract quality, while all the time you’re painting what you see!”

In the image above (which is a detail of the large multi-sheet watercolour), Mark first painted the flowers and textures of the foreground vegetation, as well as the trunks of the background trees. Then he painted the broader shapes in the areas in between: “Positive and negative shapes!”

In general, Mark says: “When I paint, I’m trying to hold three things in mind – structure, tone and colour – and often I am not looking at the objects I’m painting but at the scene as a series of patterns and shapes.”

Thank you for that Mark. We look forward to seeing you in action en plein air on your week-long course with us next year. (Details and a link below.)

Our new Australian tutor, Mark Dober, loves to make paintings and drawings in the landscape. He says: “The beauty of nature inspires me, but also a sense of its strangeness. My work expresses both belonging and otherness. I seek to convey immediacy and a sense of the experiential in my work, hence the necessity of working on site.”

As well as a talented artist, Mark is also an experienced teacher. He will demonstrate in watercolour, though you can choose to use (or at least, try) other painting media – gouache, acrylics and oils.  He will proceed step by step, increasingly giving individual attention to each artist’s work. One previous student said: “Mark has a wealth of knowledge about plein air painting and shares his knowledge generously. No matter what skill level you have he can give you the confidence and encouragement to put paint to (surface/canvas/paper) in a way which is fresh and exciting.”

Beauty and strangeness: another captivating en plein air watercolour by Mark

Come and join us, paint in the fresh air and see nature through fresh eyes with Mark. And don’t forget you will be Cool and Green at the Watermill: we have air-conditioning everywhere, all powered by our hidden array of photovoltaic cells which make us self-sufficient in electricity production.

We have a special Early Bird offer: if you book before 31 December 2022, there is a Â£75 (English pounds) discount on James’s 2023 course.

Mark Dober
1-8 July 2023
Watercolour en plein air                                

To learn more about Mark and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile page.

Harry’s gentle teaching style will bring out the best in beginners and experienced painters alike

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Harry can’t wait to be back in Italy. This painting of Assisi was made on a previous visit.

* It is worth being an Early Bird. See below

We are delighted to welcome Harry Westera, a popular Australian artist and teacher, who will be joining us in April (details below), . As one of his students says: “Harry has a gentle teaching style that brings out the best in the artists he works with — raw beginners as well as those more experienced.”

Hundreds of students have benefitted from Harry’s easy-to-follow teaching process and friendly help. Students will start each day during the week with a few warmup exercises. Harry will do a couple of demonstrations both in the studio and on location. As you paint during the day, Harry will be on hand to give personal attention and expert advice.

This delightful landscape is titled ‘Last Light.”

As a ‘Contemporary Traditional’ artist, Harry seeks to create images that express the wonderful in the ordinary, achieved through keen observation and appreciation of how light falls on the subject to reveal tone and colour. Although he is adept with portrait painting at still life, his true forte is landscape painting en plein air. Join him to capture the wonder of the stunning locations on your Watermill week in unspoiled rural Tuscany.

And don’t forget our Early Bird offer: if you book before 31 December 2022, there is a £75 (English pounds) discount on Harry’s 2023 course.

Harry Westera 
15-22 April 2023
Watercolours
To learn more about Harry and his course at the mill, please visit his 2023 Tutor Profile page.

A peaceful location during a Watermill week

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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 the town and the surrounding hills.

The convent (that’s what they call it, although the inmates were monks, not nuns) is of the Carmelite order and dates back to 1568. The Renaissance-style building has cloisters with sandstone columns and lunettes decorated with murals. The convent, forcibly closed down in the 18th century, is now a setting for romantic weddings – and our Watermill guests enjoy the exclusive use on Thursdays, together with a delicious picnic lunch.

Hardly surprisingly, the peaceful setting has inspired both tutors and guests alike and I thought today I’d share with you some of the paintings they have made there. Here, for example, is a quick atmospheric sketch of a corner one of the cloisters by Mike Willdridge:

And Varvara Neiman captured the almost surreal atmosphere.

Tim Wilmot concentrated on the beauty of the exterior:

This photo, of a guest at work, just about sums up the inspiring peacefulness of the location.

We still have spaces on our 2022 creative courses (see below for details and links) if you, too, would like to be inspired by this unspoiled corner of rural Tuscany. You can find out more about each of the tutors by clicking on their Profile page link in their entries below.

Paul Talbot-Greaves â€“ two or three places left
20 – 27 August 2022
Watercolours (and acrylics)
To learn more about Paul and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Rebecca de Mendonça

Rebecca de Mendonça â€“ three or four places left
27 August – 3 September 2022
Pastels
To learn more about Rebecca and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Mike Willdridge

Mike Willdridge (1) â€“ fully booked, waiting list open
3 – 10 September 2022
Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics, with a special emphasis on drawing on location.)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Varvara Neiman

Varvara Neiman â€“ still a few places
10 – 17 September 2022
Water-based oils, acrylics and watercolours
To learn more about Varvara and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Mike Willdridge

Mike Willdridge (2) –  a few places available
17 – 24 September 2022
‘Colourful watercolours’
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Cynthia Armstrong

Cynthia Armstrong â€“ One or two places left
24 September – 1 October 2022
Watercolours and gouache
To learn more about Cynthia and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Tim Wilmot

Tim Wilmot â€“ one or two places left
1 – 8 October 2022
Watercolours
To learn more about Tim and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Grahame Booth

Grahame Booth â€“ one place available
8 – 15 October 2022
Watercolours
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Our unique Italian Language course:

Giulia Balestri â€“ still one or two places
15 – 22 October 2022
Learning Italian with the Italians
To learn more about Giulia and her
2022 course at the mill, please click here.

Those cloister arches are tricky to draw:

Come and enjoy Gentileschi and Grahame, painting in unspoiled rural Tuscany.

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Due to a cancellation, we suddenly have a place in the delightful Gentileschi bedroom for Grahame Booth’s popular watercolour course this year. The course runs from Saturday 8 October to Saturday 15 October and we would be delighted to welcome you here.

The Gentileschi bedroom is light, bright, beautifully decorated with views over the Riverside Terrace and the River Rosario itself bubbling beyond. It celebrates a 17th century female painter who achieved fame in a man’s world. Artemisia Gentileschi worked in Florence at a time when female painters were not easily accepted by the artistic community, nor by patrons. But she was highly successful and was the first woman ever to become a member of the Accademia di Arte del Designo. Artemisia has become a feminist’s favourite and while I appreciate her skill, I’m not the greatest of fans of Baroque painting in general. But in the naming of our bedrooms, it is good to celebrate women artists as well as the more well-known men of the Renaissance and Early Modern period.

We should celebrate two other artistic women, too: Vivienne White, our friend and interior designer, and Lois Breckon, who together chose the colours and painted the animated frieze of dandelion puffballs.  The paintings above the bed are by a contemporary male artist, Michael Willdridge, and are part of a series of 100 paintings he painted in 100 days in 2018. (Number 100 is on our sitting room wall.)

Grahame’s atmospheric watercolour of the river and the rear of the Watermill.

Grahame Booth, from Northern Ireland, paints only in watercolour and his success is reflected in the numerous awards he has won over many years. His YouTube channel now has nearly 40,000 subscribers. Grahame only started to paint some 35 years ago, and, because he clearly remembers the problems of learning to master watercolours, he is a particularly sympathetic tutor,

Painting en plein air, he will show you how to translate the landscape into watercolours full of light, excitement and impact. As one student said: â€œGrahame can teach people of all levels and everyone learns and improves. Most importantly it’s always fun.”  Another said: “I feel I have learned so much …Grahame is an excellent tutor and I have taken home lots of inspirational ideas, sketches and paintings…an absolutely magical holiday.”

Some of Grahame’s group painting along with him in the Watermill’s walled garden.
Grahame Booth

Grahame Booth – a couple of places available
8 – 15 October 2022
Watercolours
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

One of my favourite Grahame watercolours, of a man working in his allotment.

Mary Jane’s memories of a wonderful painting week

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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 in my studio and remembering a beautiful experience.”

Thank you, Mary Jane, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Why not come and make your own wonderful memories 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 2022 courses are pretty full up, but we do have some spaces and you can see the details below. Please don’t worry if you find a course you like the look of is fully booked: there are often cancellations, so just let us know via the Watermill Contact Form (click here) and we will put you on a waiting list.

Or you may care to join us in 2023. There’s a link at the end of the this article,

Here is today’s snapshot of current bookings

First, the list of our remaining painting tutors for 2022. You can find out more about each of them by clicking on their Profile page link in their entries below.

Vicki Norman

Vicki Norman â€“ One place available
2 – 9 July 2022
Oils and watercolours (and other mediums)
To learn more about Vicki and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Pamme Turner â€“ one or two places left
9 – 16 July 2022
Watercolour and gouache en plein air
To learn more about Pamme and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Carl March

Carl March â€“ thre or four places left
16 – 23 July 2022
Drawing and watercolour en plein air
To learn more about Carl and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Paul Talbot-Greaves

Paul Talbot-Greaves â€“ two or three places left
20 – 27 August 2022
Watercolours (and acrylics)
To learn more about Paul and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Rebecca de Mendonça

Rebecca de Mendonça â€“ three or four places left
27 August – 3 September 2022
Pastels
To learn more about Rebecca and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Mike Willdridge

Mike Willdridge â€“ fully booked, waiting list open
3 – 10 September 2022
Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics, with a special emphasis on drawing on location.)
To learn more about Mike and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Varvara Neiman

Varvara Neiman â€“ three or four places left
10 – 17 September 2022
Water-based oils, acrylics and watercolours
To learn more about Varvara and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Milind Mulick

Milind Mulick â€“ fully booked, waiting list open
17 – 24 September 2022
‘Colourful watercolours’
To learn more about Milind and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Cynthia Armstrong

Cynthia Armstrong â€“ fully booked, waiting list open
24 September – 1 October 2022
Watercolours and gouache
To learn more about Cynthia and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

Tim Wilmot

Tim Wilmot â€“ one or two places left
1 – 8 October 2022
Watercolours
To learn more about Tim and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Grahame Booth

Grahame Booth â€“ fully booked, waiting list open
8 – 15 October 2022
Watercolours
To learn more about Grahame and his course at the mill, please visit his 2022 Profile Page.

Our unique Italian Language course:

Giulia Balestri â€“ still two or three places
15 – 22 October 2022
Learning Italian with the Italians
To learn more about Giulia and her
2022 course at the mill, please click here.

If you would like to come in 2023, there’s an added bonus: if you book before 1 September 2022, the you can enjoy any one of our 2023 courses at 2022 prices. Please click here for a preview of our 2023 creative courses.

Please click here for more

Still time to join Pamme and paint in the glorious Tuscan countryside

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You could not find more glorious plein air subjects than in the scenery around the Watermill at Posara. Unspoiled rural Tuscany, with tree-covered hills, craggy mountains, fortified mediaeval towns, hilltop village slumbering in the sun… there are endless subjects to paint, and who better to paint them with than Watermill tutor Pamme Turner?

A professional artist and college professor with multiple degrees in the Fine Arts, Pamme has taught art classes and art workshops all over the world and has more than 30 years of teaching experience. She says: “I am fascinated by the creative art-making process and encourage my students to experience that same joy in all of their works.” A previous student says: “An incredible workshop; more educational than a whole college semester! And so much more fun!”

We have 10 people booked into Pamme’s course next month (two of whom are non-painting partners), but because we have a number of couples or friends sharing some of our beautiful double bedrooms, the Bronzino, Gentileschi and Uccello, are still free, so we still have room for two or three more painters (and their non-painting partners if they would care to join them.)

The Bronzino bedroom awaits you.

We would love you to join us for Pamme’s inspiring and relaxing week-long workshop. She will be with us from Saturday 9 July to Saturday, 16 July 2022. Pamme’s course is called a Plein Air Essentials workshop (for watercolor and gouache).

An atmospheric back garden by Pamme

You’ll learn to paint with both transparent and/or opaque mediums “en plein air”, with an emphasis on beautiful watercolor techniques. As well as painting in the glorious Tuscan countryside you will also be working in the light and airy Watermill studio. The course is designed for painters of all levels.

You will, of course, enjoy warm hospitality, delicious food and the convivial company of other guests on your relaxing and inspiring week. And don’t forget that you will also be Cool and Green: all our public rooms, including the studio, and all our bedrooms are air-conditioned powered by electricity from our hidden array of photovoltaic cells, which make us self-sufficient in electricity.

The rose pergola at the Watermill

Come and join us and make memories that will last a lifetime

Pamme Turner

Pamme Turner â€“ two or three places left
9 – 16 July 2022
Watercolour and gouache en plein air
To learn more about Pamme and her course at the mill, please visit her 2022 Profile Page.

A toast a Watermill creativity and conviviality

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Picture: The Telegraph newspaper, London

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 Romans’ habit of dropping a piece of toast in their wine. Charles suggests toast was there for good health, though he doesn’t explain why. Further research suggests that it was commonplace to add a piece of scorched and spiced bread to wine, soaking up some of the acidity and improving the flavour.

Eduard von Grützner: Falstaff with big wine jar and cup, 1896

The Merriam-Webster dictionary tells us : “The bread wasn’t necessarily consumed by the drinker; was often discarded after it flavoured the drink and soaked up any unwanted sediments.” Shakespeare, of course, mentions the practice: “Go, fetch me a quart of sack; put a toast in’t,”. Falstaff commands Bardolph in The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Well, you learn something new every day, but I didn’t expect to find out about Shakespearean drinking habits from an Australian painting tutor! Thank you, Charles.

The pandemic has precluded recent visits by Charles to the Watermill, but he will be with us again next year, from Saturday 23 September to Saturday, 30 September 2023.

One of my favourite Charles Sluga watercolours, called Lunch in Lucca

Charles Sluga is a highly respected and sought-after Australian watercolour artist, who has gained a reputation for his versatility in both his technique and choice of subject matter. He has been a painting tutor at the Watermill many times.

Charles is also a great teacher, with a friendly and enthusiastic approach and an eagerness to impart his wide knowledge. He not only teaches technique, but also how to think and see as an artist, which he considers just as important. His classes are relaxed, informal and inspiring. One student said: â€œIn addition to being a very talented artist, Charles is an extremely capable and professional teacher.”

 And there’s an added bonus: if you book before 1 September 2022, the you can enjoy this 2023 course at 2022 prices. Please click here for a preview of all our 2023 creative courses. Sign up come and raise a glass with us to creativity and La Bella Vita Italiana.

Please click here for more

I haven’t forgotten the sublime Italian music making. It is the Brindisi, of course from Verdi’s La Traviata. An Italian, a brindisi is the act of raising a glass and toasting someone’s health. No one does it better than Giuseppe Verdi in La Traviata. And who better to sing it than Luciano Pavarotti? You can see him doing so in a concert in Moderna by clicking here. That will really brighten your day and improve your health.

Click to hear Pavarotti https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDo8Iz8LzW4