We have just received the latest newsletter from our friend and Watermill painting tutor Charles Sluga and I couldn’t resist passing on this wonderful picture of three boys. Charles says: “One of the things I love about my paintings is that they connect with people of all ages and backgrounds.”

These three boys were allowed to purchase a print of their choice for their bedrooms. They chose “Robot”, “Biggles” and “Batman”. They had them framed by Charles’s studio and this engaging image was taken on the day they collected their prints. Charles says: “I can’t help smiling looking at this. This kind of response makes it all worthwhile – just love it!”

Well, we couldn’t help smiling, too, and we hope you’ve done the same. I particularly like the expression on the face of the boy on the right, and the socks of the boy in the middle.

There will be plenty of smiles and much laughter, too, on Charles’s watercolour painting course at the Watermill this Autumn. Come and join us for inspiring teaching, a beautiful setting, wonderful scenery, delicious food and the convivial company of like-minded people. After a difficult year it’s time to look ahead and give yourself a treat.

Charles Sluga is a highly respected and sought-after watercolour artist in Australia, who has gained a reputation for his versatility in both his technique and choice of subject matter. The paintings above are of a quiet convent, and the wine demijohns in the Watermill courtyard.

Charles is also skilled in acrylics and oils and is happy to teach in those media, too. He not only teaches technique, but also how to think and see as an artist. His friendliness, sense of humour and willingness to impart his knowledge makes his classes relaxed, informal and inspiring.

A comment from a previous student: “As well as being a talented artist, Charles is an extremely capable teacher:” Another said: “The most relaxing holiday I have had for a long time: lovely accommodation, exceptional food.”

Come and join us for inspiration and laughter. (I made a little 30-second slide show of some of Charles’s work, which you can see by clicking here.)

Charles Sluga  Places available

Saturday 25 September to Saturday 2 October 2021 

Watercolour and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)

To learn more about Charles and his week at the Watermill, please click here.

 More than 90 people have already signed up for our latest Watermill interactive online painting session with Mike Willdridge next Thursday. We would be delighted if you came, too, and painted along with Mike, enjoying inspiring teaching and the camaraderie of the international painting groups that make up our sessions. And although it’s a chilly scene, you’ll be cosy and warm in your own home.

Yes, this week’s subject is a snowy village, in the charming English county of Devon. In this session you will see how the use of warm colours creates the coldness of snow, as well as practising perspective and the painting of buildings. There is no preliminary photograph in this session, just two sketches, the painted one above and the black and white sketch below.

Mike says: “Both these drawings were made in my sketchbook, balanced on the steering wheel of my car and made in just a few minutes.”

You can paint the snowy village on Thursday 21 January at 2:30 pm British time (3:30 in the afternoon European time; 09:30 in the morning Eastern Time Zone in the USA). Here is the link to register, with our online events organiser, Eventbrite. Just click here.

Unlike many online painting programmes, Mike’s will not expect you to ‘look over his shoulder’ for a long demonstration, and perhaps be allowed to ask the odd question or two. No, you will be painting along at more or less the same time, trying out the watercolour techniques that Mike has shown you, step-by-step. He will demonstrate some basic techniques for only a few minutes before you start painting the same subject at home. Then, after you have had your turn, Mike will move onto the next part of the process. Lois Breckon from The Watermill at Posara will be on hand during the session to feed your questions. The session, on Zoom, will last a couple of hours or so.

When you register for either session you will be asked for a donation. How much you give is entirely up to you. We like to think it should be like the dram of whisky you receive when visiting a Scotsman’s home: the size should neither offend the host nor the guest! Our Zoom painting demonstrations do take quite a bit of time in preparation and administration and your support is very much appreciated. With your generosity we can plan and run further sessions and, more importantly, provide a regular meeting place for creativity, camaraderie and fun. That link again: click here.

When you have registered, you will be provided with two internet links. The first is the Zoom link for you to join the session. The second link is where you will find two sketches of the subject that you will paint, a demonstration painting by Mike, to show you where you are heading, and a list of equipment and colours for your palette.

After the event, you will be invited to email us with your painting to add to a participants’ gallery. We will also send you a link to an edited video of the session that will enable to you revisit Mike’s step-by-step teaching. Click on video to see an example of a previous online session with Mike, an autumn walk. Here’s the reference picture for that session:

We are delighted to report that Sue Ford’s first online interactive session with the Watermill, painting in acrylics, was a worthy addition to the Watermill’s efforts to bring artist inspiration, camaraderie and fun in these difficult times. Our international participants painted along with Sue, capturing the sunlight and shadows of the village of Verrucola near the Watermill, one of the locations for our ‘real’ painting weeks.

Among the comments from our guests:

“Thank you for another lovely session. I learn something every time.”

“We’re so lucky to have artists like Sue available to us in our living rooms.”

“I thought Sue was excellent and her picture just beautiful. What a lovely place!”

“I thoroughly enjoyed yesterday’s Acrylic painting class with Sue, would it be possible to arrange some more with her please? I am finding the Zoom sessions a great escape.”

Our thanks for those comments and to everyone who took part in Sue’s session last Thursday. We shall certainly be organising more of them with her and will keep you posted.

As usual, I’ve made a montage of some of the pictures people sent into our online gallery:

And, so you can see the pictures a little bigger, I’ve made one of those short Facebook slideshows, which you can see by clicking here.

With Mike Willdridge and Randy Hale providing paint-along sessions in watercolour, and Rebecca de Mendonça helping us to master the techniques of pastel painting, the Watermill’s online offer is becoming broader and broader. We are also working on some sessions on oil painting. You can find out all about the Watermill’s online activities by clicking here.

And as the pandemic begins to be resolved, how about celebrating my coming on one of our renowned painting courses at the Watermill itself? You know you deserve it! You can find out more details about our inspiring, sun-filled, fun-filled painting courses in unspoiled rural Tuscany by clicking here.

This is the last of our articles featuring the new inspiring tutors on the Watermill team in 2021. We are delighted to welcome an English painter, Ali Hargreaves, who will be joining us for a week-long course in watercolours and ‘mixed media’, from Saturday 9 October to Saturday 16 October 2021.

Her watercolour above, of jugs on steps, captures the sunshine by exaggerating the lovely warm colours. And of the picture below, simply called ‘Window’, Ali says: “I love trying out different techniques and, in this painting, I used an old credit card to produce the textures in the stone work and to print the window frame. I’m always experimenting and believe that this is how we evolve as artists. Therefore, I encourage my students to do the same.”

Ali, from Poynton in the county of Cheshire in England, started her working life as a primary school teacher, but after 20 happy years, she changed direction and followed her passion for art. Ali enjoys painting a wide range of subjects and in a range of different media. Her favourite technique is ‘mixed media’, using watercolour as a base and adding all sorts, such as collage, pastel, pen, acrylic and print.  

Ali is also very keen on sketching. She says: “A big part of painting holidays is the wonderful and exciting variety of sketching opportunities. I encourage all my students to sketch as part of the course. It makes us observe what is around us and gets our ideas flowing.”

As well as being a great artist, Ali is also an enthusiastic teacher, running classes and workshops that are fun, vibrant and informative. Here’s a comment from a previous student: “Ali is an inspiration. I love her teaching/demonstration style. I learned so much in a short time and I continue to follow her and be inspired by her. I’ve already signed up to join her in Italy next year. Can’t wait.” And from another: “As well as having contagious enthusiasm and making the work fun, Ali also has the ability to demonstrate numerous creative multimedia painting techniques. She works tirelessly on behalf of her students to provide an informative, inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable learning experience.”

I have made one of those fun, 30-second Facebook slideshows with more of Ali’s vibrant images. You can see it by clicking here.

Everything is included in the cost of your holiday at the watermill: tuition, accommodation, pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals and wines (including outings to charming local restaurants) and all local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport and an excursion by train to Lucca or the Cinque Terre).

You get to Pisa, Italy, we do the rest!

And you will be Cool and Green: all our rooms are air-conditioned, powered by photovoltaic panels which make us self-sufficient in electricity..

Ali Hargreaves  Only one place left

Saturday 9 October to Saturday 16 October 2021 

Watercolour and mixed media

To learn more about Ali and her week at the Watermill, please please click here.

Come and join us and make 2021 a year to remember.

 In the second of his snowy, seasonal interactive online sessions, Mike Willdridge invites you to join him painting an English village scene in the depths of winter.

As before, you will see that it is the warm colours deployed in a snowy scene that create the coldness of snow. Mike says: “This time the snowy subject includes some buildings and a little more perspective to contend with. I also felt this was different as there’s no source photograph to display. Both these drawings were made in my sketchbook, balanced on the steering wheel of my car and made in just a few minutes. Mike’s sketch, with a little painting, is shown above, while below is the preliminary, unpainted, sketch of the village.

You can paint the snowy village on Thursday 21 January at 2:30 pm British time (3:30 in the afternoon European time; 09:30 in the morning Eastern Time Zone in the USA). Here is the link to register, with our online events organiser, Eventbrite. Just click here.

Unlike many online painting programmes, Mike’s will not expect you to ‘look over his shoulder’ for a long demonstration, and perhaps be allowed to ask the odd question or two. No, you will be painting along at more or less the same time, trying out the watercolour techniques that Mike has shown you, step-by-step. He will demonstrate some basic techniques for only a few minutes before you start painting the same subject at home. Then, after you have had your turn, Mike will move onto the next part of the process. Lois Breckon from The Watermill at Posara will be on hand during the session to feed your questions. The session, on Zoom, will last a couple of hours or so.

When you register for either session you will be asked for a donation. How much you give is entirely up to you. We like to think it should be like the dram of whisky you receive when visiting a Scotsman’s home: the size should neither offend the host nor the guest! Our Zoom painting demonstrations do take quite a bit of time in preparation and administration and your support is very much appreciated. With your generosity we can plan and run further sessions and, more importantly, provide a regular meeting place for creativity, camaraderie and fun.

When you have registered, you will be provided with two internet links. The first is the Zoom link for you to join the session. The second link is where you will find two sketches of the subject that you will paint, a demonstration painting by Mike, to show you where you are heading, and a list of equipment and colours for your palette.

After the event, you will be invited to email us with your painting to add to a participants’ gallery. We will also send you a link to an edited video of the session that will enable to you revisit Mike’s step-by-step teaching. Click on video to see an example of a previous online session with Mike, an autumn walk. Here’s the reference picture for that session:

One of the first things we learned about our new American watercolour tutor, Brienne Brown, was the quotation above about her early life. She is still passionate about watercolours and plein air painting, though she may not spatter her paint about quite as much!

Brienne, from Pennsylvania in the USA, says: “I find beauty in everyday life. Each painting reminds me of where I was, the experiences I had, the sounds, smells, and the people I met … and I enjoy sharing how I see the world.”  Brienne adds: “Painting in Italy is just a dream come true.” 

We are delighted to welcome her for her first course at the Watermill, in watercolours, which will run from Saturday 18 September to Saturday, 25 September 2021.

Using strong value sketches, bold washes, and quick energetic strokes, Brienne will show you how to bring excitement into your paintings. No watercolour skill is necessary, but some drawing experience is recommended.

A comment from a previous student: “Brienne goes through each step guiding you through the process clearly while demonstrating her techniques and approach. I would highly recommend her workshop to ANYONE, be it a beginner or an advanced painter.”

I made a fun, 30-second Facebook slideshow of some more of Brienne’s lovely paintings, which you can see by clicking here.

Everything is included in the cost of your holiday at the watermill: tuition, accommodation, pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals and wines (including outings to charming local restaurants) and all local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport and an excursion by train to Lucca or the Cinque Terre).

You get to Pisa, Italy, we do the rest!

And you will be Cool and Green: all our rooms are air-conditioned, powered by photovoltaic panels which make us self-sufficient in electricity.

Brienne Brown A few places left 

Saturday 18 September to Saturday 25 September 2021 

Watercolours

 To learn more about Brienne and her week at the Watermill, please click here.

Come and join us and make 2021 a year to remember.

Continuing our review of our new, inspiring painting tutors for 2021, today we are delighted to present our first Indian painter, Milind Mulick.

Milind is a watercolour artist from Pune who was gained a remarkable reputation in his own country and, increasingly, worldwide, for his atmospheric watercolours. His course, which he calls Colourful Watercolours, will run from Saturday 11 September to Saturday 18 September 2021.

Milind has been painting in watercolours for more than 30 years, his artistic journey beginning in childhood following his father, also a painter. As well as being influenced by the great British watercolourists like Edward Wesson and Edward Siego, Milind has absorbed the styles of Indian artists too. He has won many awards and written a dozen books on watercolour painting.

Milind has also been teaching for many years. He says: “Teaching gives me great pleasure: I love meeting new people and helping them realise their artistic potential.” A previous student says: “Milind pours his heart and soul into his paintings and believes in spreading his knowledge.”

I have made one of those fun, 30-second Facebook slideshows with more of Milind’s colourful watercolours, which you can see by clicking here.

Everything is included in the cost of your holiday at the watermill: tuition, accommodation, pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals and wines (including outings to charming local restaurants) and all local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport and an excursion by train to Lucca or the Cinque Terre).

You get to Pisa, Italy, we do the rest!

And you will be Cool and Green: all our rooms are air-conditioned, powered by photovoltaic panels which make us self-sufficient in electricity.

Milind Mulick 

Saturday 11 September to Saturday 18 September 2021 

‘Colourful Watercolours’  

To learn more about Milind and his week at the Watermill please click here

Come and join us and make 2021 a year to remember.

Continuing our series introducing our new painting tutors to the Watermill team, today we would like to present Randy Hale, an exciting watercolourist from Colorado in United States. As well as his workshops in the USA, Randy has taken painting groups all over the world.  And recently, he has been hosting some of our Watermill online interactive painting sessions, where more than 100 people have painted along with him. There will be more of the sessions with Randy later in the year.

After a successful business career, Randy returned to his first love, watercolour painting, but his true passion has proved to be in sharing his knowledge as a teacher and workshop instructor. One of his students says: “Randy knows his stuff and he knows how to teach! The best watercolor instructor I have ever had!” Another says: “He’s an excellent artist and instructor, offering clear and positive help.”

Randy has not visited the Watermill yet, but he has already produced some wonderful watercolours, from photographs! Above is his impression of our walled garden, with the Watermill buildings behind. And here’s another impression of our village, Posara:

Randy will be with us for a week-long course in watercolours from Saturday 21 August to Saturday 28 August 2021.

I have made one of those fun, 30-second Facebook slideshows, with more of Randy’s paintings, which you can see by clicking here.

Everything is included in the cost of your holiday at the watermill: tuition, accommodation, pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals and wines (including outings to charming local restaurants) and all local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport and an excursion by train to Lucca or the Cinque Terre).

You get to Pisa, Italy, we do the rest!

And you will be Cool and Green: all our rooms are air-conditioned, powered by photovoltaic panels which make us self-sufficient in electricity.

Randy Hale 

Saturday 21 August to Saturday 28 August 2021 

Watercolours

To learn more about Randy and his week at the Watermill, please click here.

Come and join us and make 2021 a year to remember.

In this bleak midwinter, why not spend a couple of hours this week capturing some Italian sunshine? Yes, there is still time to join the dozens of people already signed up for the Watermill’s latest online interactive session, painting in acrylics with Sue Ford? As usual, our online session is on Thursday afternoon. There are more details and a link for you to register below.

You will be painting along with Sue, capturing the sunlight (and shadows) of an unspoiled corner of rural Tuscany, Italy. Your exercise will be based on sketches and paintings, including the one above, which Sue made at the castle and village of Verrucola, a few kilometres from the Watermill, when she last ran a painting week here for ‘real’.

When you register, we will give you all the information you need to prepare for Sue’s session. In particular, she would like you to draw the scene, and to cover it with a weak orange wash. Sue says: “I like to use orange as an under painting, rather than work on a white surface”. During the session, she will show you how to block in the colour.

We are delighted to welcome Sue Ford, one of our most versatile and most loved painting tutors, to the Watermill online team. Sue has experimented with almost every conceivable media in her career. Sue says: “I just love creating pictures in any medium – and I love passing on what I’ve learned to other people, helping them to release their creativity.”  

As you probably know, the Watermill’s series of online, interactive painting sessions has proved a great success, with more than a hundred participants painting along with our inspiring tutors every Thursday afternoon. We really do seem to have created an international community of like-minded people, who spend a couple of hours or more in each session, not only painting along and learning new skills, but also establishing a camaraderie and a sense of purpose in these difficult times. 

Sue’s ‘sunshine and shadows’ session is on Thursday 14 January at 2:30 pm British time (3:30 in the afternoon European time; 09:30 in the morning Eastern Time Zone in the USA). Registration for this exciting online, interactive session is through the Eventbrite platform and you can join up by clicking here.

Unlike many online painting programmes, Sue’s will not expect you to ‘look over her shoulder’ for a long demonstration, and perhaps be allowed to ask the odd question or two. No, you will be painting along at more or less the same time, trying out the acrylic techniques that Sue has shown you, step-by-step. She will demonstrate some basic techniques for only a few minutes before you start painting the same subject at home. Then, after you have had your turn, Sue will move on to the next part of the process. Lois Breckon from The Watermill at Posara will be on hand during the session to feed your questions. The session, on Zoom, will last a couple of hours or so.

When you register for the session you will be asked for a donation. How much you give is entirely up to you. We like to think it should be like the dram of whisky you receive when visiting a Scotsman’s home: the size should neither offend the host nor the guest! Our Zoom painting demonstrations do take a lot of time in preparation and administration and your support is very much appreciated. With your generosity we can plan and run further sessions and, more importantly, provide a regular meeting place for creativity, camaraderie and fun. That link again

When you have registered, you will be provided with two internet links. The first is the Zoom link for you to join the session. The second link is where you will find a source photograph of the subject that you will paint, a sketch and a demonstration painting by Sue, to show you where you are heading, and a list of equipment and colours for your palette.

On registration you will be given the information you need to prepare for Sue’s session. As we said, in particular, Sue would like you to draw the scene, and to cover it with a weak orange wash. During the session, she will show you how to block in the colour.

After the event, you will be invited to email us with your painting to add to a participants’ gallery. We will also send you a link to an edited video of the session that will enable to you revisit Sue’s step-by-step teaching.

Banish those winter blues and paint the Italian summer sunshine along with Sue.

We restarted our Watermill online interactive sessions painting along with Mike Willdridge on a snowy road in Devon, England. Once again, more than 100 participants from many different countries joined in. Here are a few of the comments: “I so appreciate these sessions, and as Mike says, it gets one out of all the gloom and doom that is surrounding us at present. How amazing it is to see so many people from all corners of the globe. Your fame goes before you…!”

 “Quite a few of our members [of our art club] participated in the Thursday Zoom painting session with Mike Willdridge and really enjoyed it.”

“I am really enjoying these workshops and it is lovely to see everyone from around the world.”

“Thank you all for a wonderful series of workshops. My friends and I are planning a stay at The Watermill when travelling is safe again, and I can’t wait!”

That’s Mike’s sketchbook picture above of the snowy road and below is a montage of just a few of the many paintings people sent in following the session. Thank you for your enthusiastic participation. I’m only sorry I don’t have room for more of your pictures: I chose the eight below entirely at random.

And I couldn’t resist showing you Charlotte Brown‘s painting: she introduced the Trotter’s van from Only Fools and Horses, which seems to have slithered off the road. What a plonker!

As usual, I have also made a short (30-second) Facebook slideshow so you can see these images a little larger. You can see it by clicking here.

Mike is going to follow up the snowy road, to help you learn more about capturing such scenes in watercolour, in a new session called ‘snowy village’. The session will be on Thursday 21 January, again at 2:30p, British time. Here is the link to register.

Our next interactive session, on Thursday, is in acrylics with our friend and Watermill tutor Sue Ford. You can find the link to register with our Eventbrite events organisers here.

As you see from the comments above, quite a few people are keen to come on one of Mike’s ‘real’ watercolour weeks at the Watermill this year. We also have wonderful times with Mike and his wife Sue, and we are looking forward very much to them again. Come and join us! Book now and enjoy the warm glow of summer anticipation.

Mike Willdridge 

Saturday 7 August to Saturday 14 August 2021 AND Saturday 4 September to Saturday 11 September 2021 

Watercolours and drawing (also gouache and acrylics)

To learn more about Mike and his week at the Watermill, please click here.