Our first visit to Umbria was March 2002. It was a much appreciated break away from running an art gallery in Newcastle’s city centre and an opportunity to spend time reflecting on what had been anxious year in 2001 when Susan and I had major surgery together. I had donated one of my kidneys to … Read more
Painting Holiday, New Dates for 2019. Our Painting Holiday for June 2019 is fully booked. We have now booked a second week for another Painting Holiday, New Dates for 2019 September 21st – 28th. Already the spaces are filling quickly. Guests will once again have the opportunity to travel around Italy with Susan and I … Read more
One of the subjects I often get our guests on our Painting Holidays to have a go at is Painting an Olive Tree. The grounds of Chiesa del Carmine are full of them. They are not too difficult to draw compared to other subjects so it’s relatively easy for the guests to spend a couple … Read more
I was Painting Piano Grande for the first time in September 2004. I’d seen spectacular photographs of colourful flowers growing in this vast plateau in the Sibillini mountains and hoped to capture them in watercolour. Of course it was completely the wrong time of year! I needed to return in late spring, early summer. In … Read more
Our next Painting Holiday at Chiesa del Carmine in Umbria in Italy is just a few weeks away. Once again we are fully booked. For some of our guests it will their fourth and fifth time with us Painting in Italy. Over the years we’ve enjoyed some wonderful trips out. We’ve visited many … Read more
When producing Paintings of Umbria I always try to articulate in paint the distinctive characteristics of this fascinating region in Italy which my wife and I have been visiting since 2002. We’ve grown to love and appreciate Umbria’s wonderful hilltop towns, its food and wine. Through our reedartholidays we’ve been able to share our knowledge with many … Read more
Due to growing demand for our Painting Holidays in Italy we have added another week for 2017 Saturday 7th – Saturday 14th October. A TYPICAL DAY We start the day with a good healthy breakfast of fruit juices, freshly baked croissants , fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, toast with plenty of fresh coffee or tea. This … Read more
We have just returned from another wonderful week in Umbria where we ran another Painting Holiday. Once again Chiesa del Carmine was the venue. For some of the guests it was their 3rd and 4th Painting Holiday in Italy with us and they have already re-booked for 2018 along with some our new guests this … Read more
I’ve been painting “en plein air” in Italy since 1991 when Susan took me to Venice. I fell in love with its architecture, the light, atmosphere and culture. However, it was not until our first visit to Umbria in March 2002 that I started to make sketchbook studies of olive trees. We were staying in … Read more
It’s the time of year when I’m busy working on commissions and fitting in time to paint new works for my Christmas exhibition. One of my latest works is this street scene of Via Roma in Montone, Umbria available as a limited edition print. When we were taking our guests on the Painting Holidays in … Read more