Watermill at Posara, Italy, Newsletter

..... Hello again!

Hello again! We hope you’ve enjoyed your Summer and if you’ve been able to sample the delights of the watermill and lovely unspoilt surroundings of Lunigiana, we hope you had a wonderful time. Many of our guests clearly did. Here’s what one American lady, on a painting course in June, had to say: “Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy the watermill experience. Everything was better than I expected – and I expected a lot! Fresh, comfortable, natural - a gorgeous Tuscan experience. The food was spectacular. Kerstin and her entire staff were excellent in every way. A stellar job all round.”

Another, on a painting course in July writes: “Everything went so smoothly and all we had to do was relax and enjoy painting, eat wonderful food and look at the amazing scenery!”

And as for Jenny Lucas, an American author who came on one of our famous creative writing courses in May, she had such a good time that she’s dedicated her next book to “the watermill girls” in celebration of the wonderful friends she made during her Posara week. (See below)

A fabulous new season

Paintings by John Christian and Barry Watkin

We’ve just finished planning our 2010 season at the mill and we’ve a fabulous line-up of tutors for you next year, including half a dozen coming to the watermill for the first time. Our team includes tutors from Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland and Australia as well as the UK.

We also welcome back, after a break, two old favourites: the wonderful watercolourist John Christian and the eminent pastellist Barry Watkin. More details about all the 2010 painting course tutors and their courses are given below.

And, of course, we’ll be running another two of our famous, exclusive creative writing courses with Sharon Kendrick and Jessica Hart. See below

The Breckon family are off to Posara themselves in October, with a houseful of friends, young and old. We can’t wait! Particularly as we will just be starting a new building project, to provide even better facilities for our guests.

We are going to create a new light and airy dining room in the old mule stalls in the courtyard, together with an up-to-the-minute kitchen to prepare mouth-watering meals for our guests. And we’ll be creating two new bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom.

Exploring the Outer Hebrides

We spent our Summer holidays exploring the far-flung islands of the Outer Hebrides: South and North Uist, Benbecula, Harris and Lewis – that’s the furthest North-West you can go in inhabited Britain. And spectacular it was, too. We had wonderful sunny weather (not something that you can always guarantee in the West of Scotland) and were amazed at the beaches: miles of white sand made of crushed seashells, wild flowers prolific in the dunes and in the fields of the ancient crofts. We ventured into the breakers with our bodyboards, we walked the clifftop paths, we sea-kayaked (Bill capsized a lot of times!) and we marvelled at the ancient standing stones of Callanish, older than Stonehenge.

We took the car on a ‘Hopscotch’ ticket from Caledonian MacBrayne, starting in Oban (after a great seafood dinner at The Pier Hotel, Port Appin) to Lochboisdale in Sout Uist, then pottered northwards, through Benbecula to North Uist. (Next time you’re there, try the Langlass Lodge Hotel, great accommodation and food.) Then the Ferry across to Harris and on up though Lewis, returning via Stornaway to Ullapool. It’s a journey to be recommended highly : the scenery is truly magnificent. Here are some pictures:

Lydia and Lara in caps Of course Lydia and Lara felt deprived of shopping malls and fashion accessories, but they made up for it a bit when we visited a lady weaving Harris Tweed at her loom and they were able to try on these fashionable caps:

Your chance for a last-minute painting holiday at the mill

Due to a cancellation (one of our Canadian guests has been called out to help in the upcoming general election there), we have an unexpected place on Charles Sluga's painting holiday at the watermill, from Saturday 3 October to Saturday 10 October 2009. We’ll allocate this place on a first-come/first-served basis.

On the Wednesday, one highlight of your week-long holiday is a visit to Lucca, taking the train on the single-track railway that ambles though the Regional Park of the Apuan Mountains to the red-walled city, with its medieval streets, elegant squares and ancient amphitheatre – and perhaps you’ll take a quiet lunch near the impressive Piazza Napoleone. That’s what Charles did last year and here’s his watercolour Lunch in Lucca to prove it. You can find out more about him in our Tutor Profile section .

You can book your place on his course, in watercolours from 3-10 October, by calling us on (UK number) 01888 568 375. 0r use our Contact form

Your 2010 painting holiday tutors:
an international team

We are really very excited about the team of painting tutors we have put together for 2010. Here they are:

Fergal Flanagan
Saturday 15 May to
Saturday 22 May 2010
Gouache, watercolours and pastels
Fergal is a leading Irish painter and an accomplished and sympathetic teacher. He has painted in many locations around the world, producing warm, vibrant landscapes. Fergal works at the Burren Painting Centre in County Clare
For more about Fergal and his paintings, visit his Tutor's page

Paul Priestley
Saturday 22 May to
Saturday 29 May 2010
Acrylics, oils, gouache
For more than 10 years Paul Priestley ran a college Art Department before setting up his own business teaching art. His painting holidays are much in demand because of the emphasis he places on confidence-building and his students’ individual development: For more about Paul and his paintings, visit his Tutor's page.

John Christian
Saturday 5 June to
Saturday 12 June 2010
Watercolours
We are delighted to welcome John back to the mill this year. He’s been several times before and loves the place. John is such an enthusiastic and sympathetic tutor and his courses are always full - and full of fun! He works in a fast spontaneous manner with a large brush and a limited palette. For more about John and his paintings, visit his Tutor's page

Guy Gruwier
Saturday 19 June to
Saturday 26 June 2010
Watercolours
Guy is considered to be one of Belgium’s leading watercolour artists. He paints in a ‘realistic-romantic’ style and he passes on his insights and skills with love and patience. Previous students on Guy’s courses remember him as a gifted, patient and very helpful teacher. For more about Guy and his paintings, visit his Tutor's page

Trudi Doyle
Saturday 26 June to
Saturday 3 July 2010
Watercolours, pastels, acrylics
Trudi enjoys acclaim throughout her Irish homeland and beyond for her vibrant unique paintings. After many years' teaching experience, she has a reputation as a calm, friendly and inspirational tutor. For more about Trudi and her paintings, visit her Tutor's page.

Liz Seward Relfe
Saturday 10 July to
Saturday 17 July 2010
Watercolours
Liz has a widespread reputation for still life floral, and landscape paintings . Her main inspirations are light, colour, and the heathland landscape around her home in Surrey. Liz demonstrates to Art Societies throughout the country and teaches at residential courses. For more about Liz and her paintings, visit her Tutor's page

Jane Anderson Wood
Saturday 17 July to
Saturday 24 July 2010
Watercolours
Jane is a highly regarded painter and teacher working in watercolours. She is enthusiastic and supportive, with many years' experience in art schools, Adult Education and in private classes. For more about Jane and her paintings, visit her Tutor's page

Freda Alschuler
Saturday 24 July to
Saturday 31 July 2010
Watercolours
Freda is a full-time artist and teacher, born in England and now living in Switzerland. Freda has taught in art schools and run painting holidays in America and Europe. While her course will concentrate on watercolours, Freda is also happy to teach acrylics and mixed media. For more about Freda and her paintings, visit her Tutor's page

Annelise Pio Hansen
Saturday 28 August to
Saturday 4 September 2010
Watercolours
Annelise is a regular and very popular tutor at the watermill. Her colours are soft but bright, just like the light reaching the sandy beaches and the soft hills not far from where she lives just outside Copenhagen. For more about Annelise and her paintings, visit her Tutor's page

Laraine Simpson
Saturday 4 September to
Saturday 11 September 2010
Watercolours, oils, acrylics, pastels
Laraine, who's taught at the mill for several years now, is a Fine Arts-Painting graduate of Central School of Art & Design (now Central St. Martins), London. She is highly regarded as a perceptive, patient and encouraging tutor working with beginners and advanced students alike. For more about Laraine and her paintings, visit her Tutor's page

Barry Watkin
Saturday 11 September to
Saturday 18 September 2010
Pastels mainly, but also oils and watercolours
Barry returns to the mill this year for another great course.. His inspiration is the play of light on the landscape and the changing atmospheric effects throughout the seasons. Much of his work is started on site and finished off in the studio. For more about Barry and his paintings, visit his Tutor's page.

Charles Sluga
Saturday 2 October to
Saturday 9 October 2010
Watercolours
Charles is a highly respected and sought after artist and watercolour teacher in Australia. His friendly and enthusiastic approach, and eagerness to impart his wide knowledge, is reflected in his popularity as a tutor, and the waiting lists for his regular classes. For more about Charles and his paintings, visit his Tutor's page.

A romantic dedication

In May 2008, newly published American author Jennie Lucas came on one of Sharon Kendrick’s famous creative writing courses at the watermill. She says: “ I was thrilled to visit Italy, meet some aspiring writers and also one of my idols, Sharon Kendrick. I’ll never forget the fun we had.”

After her visit to the mill, Jennie wrote another book, The Innocent’s Dark Seduction, published in the UK this June and just out in the UK. She says: “The setting of the old 18th century Watermill, the roses, and the sunshine, directly inspired me as I started writing The Innocent’s Dark Seduction. So I dedicated the book to the girls in the class.”

The Innocent's dark Seduction by Jennie Lucas

The dedication says:
“To the Watermill girls -- Rachael, Carol, Becks, Susan, Francesca, Rachel, Kerstin, Ruth, and most of all, Sharon Kendrick -- in memory of that fabulous week we hatched story plots, drank wine and ate chocolate during the creative writing workshop in Posara, Italy. You guys rock.”

Jennie notes that another of Sharon’s students, Sabrina Philips actually sold her first book after coming on one of Sharon’s courses and she adds: “So if you have a hankering to learn how to write (and see some Italian roses) you should check it out.”

Sharon will be back for another fun-filled and creatively fulfilling creative writing course at the watermill next Spring and our other great ‘writing romance’ tutor, best-selling Harlequin Mills & Boon author Jessica Hart is returning this Autumn. (See below.)

Your 2010 best-selling creative writing tutors

Our best-selling Harlequin Mills & Boon authors are back for two more inspiring creative writing courses next year.

Sharon Kendrick
Saturday 8 May to
Saturday 15 May 2010
‘Writing romance’

This is Sharon’s third visit to the watermill: “One of the most beautiful places I've ever visited. The mountains nearby are tall and green, streaked with a pure white, which looks like snow, but which is really the Carrara marble from which Michelangelo chiselled his David. How neat is that?”

Sharon has written nearly 70 books for Harlequin Mills & Boon and regularly tops the Waldenbooks list in North America as well as selling well all over Europe, Asia and South America. Sharon will pass on the benefits of her vast experience in writing romantic fiction and her intimate knowledge of what publishers like Harlequin Mills & Boon are looking for in a romantic novel. You can find out more about Sharon and her books on her Tutors Page.

Jessica Hart
Saturday 25 September to
Saturday 2 October 2010
‘Writing romance’

RITA* award-winner Jessica Hart has written more than 50 books for Harlequin Romance and has been published around the world in more than 20 different languages. (*The RITA is the US romance-publishing industry's highest award of distinction.) She is also a winner of the coveted Romance Prize, awarded by the Romantic Novelists’ Association in the UK.

Jessica’s second course at The Watermill at Posara will focus on the emotional tension that is key to all romantic fiction and it will provide a practical approach to constructing a satisfying – and sellable – love story. There will be plenty of opportunity, too, to talk about writing romance with like-minded people: “The social side of writing is so often underestimated, especially when it comes to structuring a story,” says Jessica. You can read more about Jessica and her books on our Tutors Page.

Painting holidays and creative writing courses: what’s included

We would like to reiterate that everything is included in the cost of your painting holiday or creative writing course: tuition, accommodation (including all linen and towels), pre-dinner aperitifs, all meals (including dinner with wine at charming local restaurants) and local transportation (including transfers to Pisa airport; an excursion by train to Lucca).

All you have to do is to get to Pisa and we do the rest.

Prices depend on which room you choose (see www.watermill.net for details). They start at £930+IVA (Italian VAT) per person per week (based on two people sharing), with a discount of £25 for a non-painting on non-writing partner. Single rooms start at £995+IVA (Italian VAT). Italian IVA is currently 20%.

What's available

When the mill is not full of enthusiasts on our painting holidays or creative writing courses, we divide it into five elegant self-contained apartments available for self-catering lets.

Two of these bright, sunny apartments (Apts 1 & 2) are in the three-storey Tuscan house in the mill courtyard, with views over the gardens and the mountains beyond; two others (Apts 3 & 4) are set above the older watermill, with river and valley views; the fifth (Apt 5) is set beside the olive press and the artists’ studio and looks out over gardens and the river. All have comfortable living rooms, well furnished bedrooms, a well equipped kitchen and modern bathroom. There’s more information and plenty of pictures on our website www.watermill.net

If you would like to book a self-catering apartment next year, please call us on the number below or use our secure Contact Form

Anything more you’d like to know?

If there is anything more we can tell you about our activities, and the true Italian lifestyle, please call us on +44 1888 568375 or use our secure Contact Form. And keep up with our website and blog at www.watermill.net.

In the meantime, with very best wishes,

Lois and Bill, Lydia and Lara, Bella and Rosa (the Labradogs) - and Blaze, the guineapig.

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