Watermill at Posara, Italy, Newsletter

..... October in Lunigiana

We’ve just returned from a lovely holiday with family and friends at the watermill, which was looking lovely in the Autumn Tuscan sun. We did all the ‘usual’ fabulous things we do when going to the mill: Lucca, the Cinque Terre, The Bay of Poets …

As ever, we enjoyed another sunny day cycling around the top of the walls of Lucca and enjoying a picnic lunch of freshly made panini, stuffed with local hams and cheeses in a grassy redoubt.

Bill and Norman, the father of one of our girls’ friends, however, wish to make a strenuous complaint to the authorities of the city. The shops in this part of Italy are supposed to be closed in the afternoon, opening at around 4pm (when we have safely left for Posara) in time for the evening passagiata.

After lunch we all pedalled gently though the quiet afternoon streets of the city, the fathers secure in the knowledge that the famous leather shops would be closed. We admired the tall houses framing the Piazza Anfiteatro, we marvelled at the ‘wedding-cake’ façade of the church of San Michele and we enjoyed circling Puccini’s statue in the square of his birth (the composer sits comfortably in his chair, smoking a cigarette: how wonderful to be in a politically incorrect country). And then there it was – OPEN! – a shop selling leatherware.

Of course it was irresistible to the girls of all ages in our group and before you could blink an eye (or down half a glass of cool white wine in the café in the Piazza della Citadella, as Norman and I did for sustenance) leather bags of all sizes and descriptions had been purchased. Lois called Bill from the café to let him buy her pre-birthday present of a lovely chestnut brown travel bag for what she considered a ridiculously small number of Euros. It does look very much alla moda and no doubt it was a bargain, but Bill reckons a sharp note to the camera commerciale about afternoon opening hours is still called for.

The late October weather in Tuscany was a little unseasonable: although most of our days were cloudlessly sunny, temperatures were quite low (though sub-tropical by Scottish standards), so much so that there was a slight frost on the car windscreen one morning and the chill airs meant that the ultra-tasty porcini mushrooms, having emerged in early October, were halted in their tracks and refused to appear again.

But the cooler air was a boon when we walked the clifftop paths from along the Ligurian coast Monterosso to Vernazza in the Cinque Terre -- and we were still able to sit outside in shirtsleeves at lunchtime in our favourite restaurant beside the harbour, enjoying muscoli ripieni (stuffed muscles) and fritto misto del mare (mixed seafood and fish fried in a light batter).

It was sunny but cool, too, when we visited Florence and when we climbed unsteadily to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We felt distinctly wobbly all the way up and even more so at the top: a nasty sensation of vertigo and seasickness combined. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience -- and Bill’s been up twice!

But our part of Italy, in the wilds of Lunigiana, is as beautiful and unspoilt as ever. The pilgrim chapels are as peaceful as they have been for a thousand years and on the ancient trees the olives are ripening in the high terraces – and the ice cream in the gelateria in Fivizzano still tastes marvellous! And Lydia and Lara, and their friend Claire, were pampered at the local hairdresser...

If you’d like to sample Lunigiana’s special charms and savour the true Italian lifestyle, now is the time to reserve your place on a painting holiday or creative writing course and to book your favourite self-catering apartment for the Summer.

Email us using the Contact form or call our UK number 01888 568 375. You’ll get great Early Bird reductions if you book before the end of the year.

Praise for our 2009 courses

Just a few comments from some of our 2009 guests. We’re all feeling a little embarrassed about the praise, especially Kerstin Rommel, who looks after the mill and organises all the day-to-day running of the holidays and courses. But she does such a magnificent job, she deserves it.

“Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy the watermill experience. Everything was better than I expected – and I expected a lot! Fresh, comfortable, natural - gorgeous Tuscan experience. The food was spectacular. Kerstin and her entire staff were excellent in every way. A stellar job all round. Thank you again -- I’d go back in a minute.”

“Just a line to say how much I enjoyed the painting holiday. Everything went so smoothly and all we had to do was relax and enjoy painting with our tutor, eat wonderful food and look at the amazing scenery!”

“What a magnificent spot! I thoroughly enjoyed my week at the Watermill: day trips, meals, comforts all outstanding. Thank you so much for sharing that beautiful place with us.”

“I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed my stay at the Watermil: it is such a beautiful place and everywhere we went inspired me. Your team of people there is truly an asset to you. I’ll be raving about my visit there for a long time to come, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the entire experience. Thank you again.”

“Just a note to tell you how much I enjoyed my week at the watermill. You have a wonderful team working for you. Kerstin was so organized and planned such wonderful outings for us. Her picnics were fabulous. We all enjoyed her sense of humour and lightheartedness. We all felt pampered and spoilt!

“The week was quite superb - excellent tuition and great fun.I just want to say how well the whole team looked after us - we were spoilt rotten from start to finish, and all the arrangements worked like clockwork.”

Two specials for early bookers

October sees the beginning of our ‘sales drive’ for next season and we have just posted out more than 1500 brochures to people who have been to the mill before or who have previously expressed an interest in our painting holidays and creative writing courses, and in our Summer lets.

And as an incentive to our ‘Early Birds’ who reserve their places with their favourite tutors and in their favourite bedrooms, or book their favourite apartment for a self-catering let, we’ve two very special offers this year.

For Early Bird painters and writers: There is £75 off the cost of your holiday if you book before 31 December 2009.

For Early Bird bookers of a self-catering apartment: There is 10% off the rental cost if you book before 31 December 2009. That means a saving of between £29.50 and £68.50 per week reduction, according to which apartment you choose and when you want to go.

Two inspiring Irish artists join the painting tutors team

If you’ve been reading the watermill’s regular News Blogs you’ll have already met some of the exciting new artists who are joining the team to provide our wide range of painting holidays at the watermill next year. We’re delighted to introduce them to you in our newsletters, too.

And we thought we’d start with our new ‘Irish dimension’ with not one, but two, renowned Irish artists who will be tutors at the famous watermill painting holidays next year.

They are Fergal Flanagan, whose course in gouache, watercolours and pastels runs from 15-22 May 2010, and Trudi Doyle, who will be teaching at the watermill in watercolours, pastels, acrylics and other media from 26 June-3 July 2010.

Fergal Flanagan enjoys painting in gouache and oils, but also in watercolour, pastel and mixed media. But since Ryanair won’t let him bring oils to Italy, his course will concentrate on gouache, watercolour and pastel.

Fergal studied at the National College of Art in Dublin under Henry Healy RHA and Desmond Carrick RHA and has been painting on a full time basis since 1986. He has had seven major exhibitions in this time showing works from Ireland and lately from around the world. His world trip in 2003 resulted in an exhibition showing paintings of Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Canada. Opened by the Australian Ambassador it was his most successful exhibition ever. In 2006 his exhibition of paintings of Thailand and Laos showed these countries landscape in warm vibrant colours. His exhibition of 2009 showed local Irish scenes of the area where he lives and works.

Fergal works out of Glendarragh Studios in County Wicklow, set in a rural environment, which is very conducive to creative work. (Just like the watermill!) He teaches painting at the Burren Painting Centre in County Clare, as well as on painting courses abroad, and is known as an accomplished and sympathetic teacher.

Poulsallagh, Clare coast by Fergal Flanagan

Here’s one of his delightful Irish pictures, a seascape of Poulsallagh on the Clare coast

Fergal says: “This oil painting captures the damp conditions prevalent on the Irish coast with subdued tonal colours of grey, mauve and blue.” You can bet his Italian landscapes will capture the warm, dry colours of late Spring in Tuscany, a wonderful time of year to be at the watermill.

You can see more of Fergal’s paintings on the watermill website. And a reminder: Fergal’s course in gouache, watercolours and pastels runs from 15-22 May 2010.

Our other Irish tutor is Trudi Doyle, acclaimed throughout Ireland and beyond for her vibrant paintings and also has a reputation as a calm, friendly and inspirational teacher. is based in Ballyconnell on the Carlow Wicklow. Trudi will be teaching at the watermill in watercolours, pastels, acrylics and other media from 26 June-3 July 2010.

Trudi has helped hundreds of students, young and old, complete beginners and experienced painters, to gain confidence in their ability to express their own creativity. She believes in giving lots of individual attention and is always aware of a possible lack of confidence. Watercolours are her passion; she thrives on the excitement, the challenges and the unpredictability working with watercolours brings, but she is also skilled in drawing, the use of pastels, acrylics and mixed media.

If an art course for you is all about getting started and building confidence or if it's a chance to explore new directions and techniques, wherever your creativity takes you, Trudi will guide you on the road with joy and enthusiasm.

Here’s a lovely Trudi Doyle watercolour called Deserted Village of Perillos, France.

Deserted village of Perillos by Trudi Doyle

Trudi says: “This village has been deserted since the Second World War and is currently being gradually restored. Having walked around the village several times and decided on my vantage point a small distance away, I began by drawing the structures with a simple pencil sketch avoiding any irrelevant details and capturing the essence of the subject. The scene lent itself to strong contrasts between light and dark tones and warm and cool colours. I applied watercolours swiftly using cool blues, pale violets and purples to create the sky and the hazy distant hills; mixtures of Cobalt and Permanent Rose, Ultramarine and Alizarin.

“I used Raw Sienna and Burnt Sienna on the sunlit areas of the roofs and buildings and violets and blues in the shadows. The foreground, which was a mass of vegetation and crumbling stone, had vague remnants of a pathway to the village. I used artistic license to recreate this and so lead the eye into the composition. I painted the Cypress trees and various shrubs and grasses wet into wet with greens mixed from Cobalt blue, Lemon Yellow and some Hookers Green, and the shadows in blues and the same greens darkened by the addition of Indigo and Ultramarine.

“I put the finishing touches to this painting in the studio. In the middle distance and foreground I worked into the watercolour with Aqua tone crayon sticks. I like the marks you can achieve with the edge of these watercolour crayons that can be used wet or dry and are useful for creating texture and body.

“The finished painting is a good example of colour perspective (cool colours creating distance and warm colours enlivening the middle and foreground.) and captures the unique atmosphere of this mysterious deserted village.”

During her Posara painting holiday, Trudi will be taking here students to beautiful Italian villages, slumbering in the Tuscan sun. These will include Terenzano, to paint in the village and among the olive groves, which enjoy spectacular views like this, of the Apuan alps, the ‘marble mountains’ of Carrara.

You can see more of Trudi’s paintings on the watermill website. And a reminder: Trudi Doyle’s painting holiday, in watercolours, pastels, acrylics and other media runs from 26 June-3 July 2010.

Don’t forget the early Bird offer: book now and save yourself £75! Email us using our Contact form (quoting News17) or call us on (UK number) 01888 568 375 and we’ll make sure your place is reserved.

Your 2010 painting holiday tutors:
an international team

Fergal and Trudi are just two members of the exciting and truly international team of tutors on painting holidays at the watermill next year. We are really very excited about the team of painting tutors we have put together for 2010. We’ll introduce them to you individually in subsequent newsletters. But here’s the full list:

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 and see above for more details.

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 and see above for more details.

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.

Jessica’s watermill creative writing course:
“like-minded people in beautiful surroundings”

Jessica Hart, our best-selling, award-winning tutor on one of our famous Writing Romance weeks, has just returned from her first week-long course at the mill. She says: “ I had such a good time, it honestly didn’t feel like working. The watermill is a lovely old building in a beautiful place, and the weather was perfect, but what really made the week for me was being with other people who were interested in romance.

“Some groups never gel, but this one did right from the start, and one of my lasting memories of the week will be sitting around the big table, talking about our favourite books, playing Boggle and laughing. I’d expected to enjoy myself, but I had no idea it would be quite such fun!

"We concentrated on the structure of the story rather than on the admittedly tricky business of putting words together in a certain order. No amount of sparkling dialogue or simmering sexual tension will work unless you’ve got all the elements you need to drive the story forward and keep the reader turning the pages, so we started off by talking about hooks, and the importance of creating a situation that forces your hero and heroine together, and the motivations that will keep them together, however much they might want to walk away.

"Then we looked at character and the need to think about giving the hero and heroine inner goals, as well as at plotting, dialogue and how to invest a story with sexual tension. And somehow, sitting under a vine-laden pergola, with the garden as a classroom, none of it seemed too difficult …

"For me, the best bit was listening to people talk about their stories, and playing around with ideas about how to make them work in the group. I found that really exciting and it was amazing how characters and situations started to come alive as we sparked ideas off each other.

"Some great stories began to take shape over the week, and I was quite puffed up with pride in them all by the end, although I don’t actually think it was much to do with me. It was about being with like-minded people in beautiful surroundings, with nothing to distract you but the sound of the river and the clanging of the church bell, no deadline beyond the next fabulous meal, and no responsibility beyond wondering if it was time to move into the shade or not.

"We had one day off, on the Wednesday, when we took the train to Lucca. I had lunch in a shady café on the Piazza Anfiteatro, and then spent a lovely afternoon fantasising about being Italian and living there in my next life as I drifted in and out of bag shops, salivated in the most wonderful delicatessens and cycled all the way round the spectacular city ramparts.

"But now it’s back to work. It suddenly turned into autumn while I was away, and I have that “new term” feeling: I want to sharpen my pencils, start a clean notebook and get myself organised. I’ve got five separate projects to juggle this autumn, but my week at the Watermill has left me raring to get on with all of them … for now, anyway! I wonder how long that will last??? No holding your breath, anyone!"

Jessica will be back at the watermill for another Writing Romance course next Autumn, from 22 September to 2 October 2010. Given the creativity and fun on her last course, this one should prove even more popular, so we guess it’s time to get your place reserved NOW – and take advantage of that special Early Bird offer.

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 will be 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 75 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

Part of our family holiday was spent discussing with Kerstin ways to improve the mill still further for our guests and we have one or two exciting projects in hand: we’ll keep you up to date as things emerge. We’re going to ‘refurbish’ some of the apartments and build a new dining room and kitchen, so it’s going to be fun!

As you know, when the mill is not full of painters or writers, 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.

If you choose a self-catering holiday you’ll find a thousand fascinating things to do, in the mountains and at the seaside. And the mill is in easy reach of Florence, Pisa, Lucca and the other tourist attractions of Tuscany. But you are actually more likely to spend a lot of your time relaxing at the mill itself, enjoying the beautiful setting and sunning yourself in the gardens …

.If you would like to book a self-catering apartment next year, please call us on (UK number) 01888 568 375 or use our secure Contact Form

And don’t forget if you book before the end of the year you can take advantage of our generous Early Bird offer, with 10% discount on all self-catering bookings. (Just quote News17).

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.

Thank you for reading our Watermill Newsletter! if you have any Newsletter questions, comments or complaints, please write to us using our Contact form.

Copyright(c) 2004 – 2009 All rights reserved. The Watermill at Posara and any other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Information provided in this newsletter is provided without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied.