Spending It
Painting Holidays
Forget redecorating the outside of your home. We're talking painting holidays, in which you'll do little more than stare at beautiful views, talk to expert artists and be inspired to put brush to canvas. Who knows, you might even create your own masterpiece!
There are lots of courses to choose from, held everywhere from Constable country in East Anglia and art colleges in city centres to small B&Bs in the remotest parts of Britain. For one of the wildest locations, you could do a week-long residential painting course in the Scottish Highlands.
North West Highlands Art (NWHA) provides painting courses based at a family home at Brynaport, situated close to the tiny west highland village of Achintraid. It's a stunning location: the views across Loch Kishorn to the ancient sandstone corries and hills of Applecross are staggering. The light and colours, with the history and romance of the Highlands, make for an inspiring place to paint.
NWHA runs courses and workshops that cater for all standards, with expert tutors in watercolour, oils, pastels, acrylic and mixed media. Numbers are limited to allow plenty of individual attention and painting trips are made to Applecross over the Bealach-na-Ba, the highest, steepest road in Britain, to the attractive fishing village of Shieldaig with its beautiful Caledonian pine-forested island, and Plockton, a picturesque yachting village with palm trees along the seafront. During the week there is often a boat trip to Kishorn Island or accessible beaches.
But what if you fancy more exotic scenery? How about spending a week painting in a medieval Italian village clinging to the top of a green hill in the wooded Valdinievole valley - an area that Italians call 'The Switzerland of Pescia'. Organised by Painting Activities, the course is based on the friendly and comfortable Antica Locanda del Borgo, where you can enjoy gorgeous Tuscan food and delicious local wines. The programme includes painting around the village in the hills and valley under the guidance of Jonathan Newey, one of the expert tutors who will be present. There's an optional day in Florence with an English-speaking guide, or those who like to walk can follow the ancient mule tracks along the course of the nearby river to paint scenes of picturesque mills and hamlets.
Get the experience:
Scotland:
A week's painting at NorthWest Highland Arts starts from around £560. For details contact Gillian Pattinson, Couldoran, Kishorn, Strathcarron, Ross-shire, IV54 8UY or call (01520) 733227.
Italy:
A week costs £525 and there will be two weeks in 2005: May 18th - 25th and May 28th - June 4th. For details contact Wordwrite Associates, 19 South Street, Colchester, CO2 7BL, call (01206) 506100 or visit the Interests Abroad website.
North West Highlands Art (NWHA) provides painting courses based at a family home at Brynaport, situated close to the tiny west highland village of Achintraid. It's a stunning location: the views across Loch Kishorn to the ancient sandstone corries and hills of Applecross are staggering. The light and colours, with the history and romance of the Highlands, make for an inspiring place to paint.
NWHA runs courses and workshops that cater for all standards, with expert tutors in watercolour, oils, pastels, acrylic and mixed media. Numbers are limited to allow plenty of individual attention and painting trips are made to Applecross over the Bealach-na-Ba, the highest, steepest road in Britain, to the attractive fishing village of Shieldaig with its beautiful Caledonian pine-forested island, and Plockton, a picturesque yachting village with palm trees along the seafront. During the week there is often a boat trip to Kishorn Island or accessible beaches.
But what if you fancy more exotic scenery? How about spending a week painting in a medieval Italian village clinging to the top of a green hill in the wooded Valdinievole valley - an area that Italians call 'The Switzerland of Pescia'. Organised by Painting Activities, the course is based on the friendly and comfortable Antica Locanda del Borgo, where you can enjoy gorgeous Tuscan food and delicious local wines. The programme includes painting around the village in the hills and valley under the guidance of Jonathan Newey, one of the expert tutors who will be present. There's an optional day in Florence with an English-speaking guide, or those who like to walk can follow the ancient mule tracks along the course of the nearby river to paint scenes of picturesque mills and hamlets.
Get the experience:
Scotland:
A week's painting at NorthWest Highland Arts starts from around £560. For details contact Gillian Pattinson, Couldoran, Kishorn, Strathcarron, Ross-shire, IV54 8UY or call (01520) 733227.
Italy:
A week costs £525 and there will be two weeks in 2005: May 18th - 25th and May 28th - June 4th. For details contact Wordwrite Associates, 19 South Street, Colchester, CO2 7BL, call (01206) 506100 or visit the Interests Abroad website.
