The Salt Pans at The Saline

This picture of the salt pans on the west coast of Sicily is another one of our venues for our Art Toscana Painting Vacations in Sicily. The photo hasn’t caught the real colour of the water which has a pinkish hew due to the pink plankton which live there. The resident flamingos feed on the

The Harbour at Castellammare Del Golfo with Art Toscana Art Courses in Sicily

This is the harbour view off Castellammare del Golfo, one of the painting venues for our Art Toscana Art holidays in Sicily. The name can be translated as ‘Sea Fortress on the Gulf’. Everywhere you look there is a spectacular view to be painted from the boats in the harbour, the fishermen loading and unloading

What a Strange Spring!

What a strange Spring! It’s February. The daffodils are in bloom but the snowdrops are lingering-on in sweet splendour, while the hellebores, which decorate the garden in January, have only just decided to wake up. At Art Toscana, painting holidays in Italy, set in the unique environment of the Garfagnana, there are always strange surprises.

TEDDY HAS A WASH AND BRUSH-UP

Our dog Teddy had his first wash and brush up. Well, it took three hours for Manuela to comb through every part of him, shower, shampoo and condition him, and then dry him with the hair dryer before a final comb through. Teddy can look forward to another grooming in May before our guests at

The Salt marshes in Sicily

This is a picture of the salt marshes at Trapani (Le Saline di Trapani) in Sicily where our Art Toscana painting in Italy guests develop their oil paintings. It is truly an inspirational place especially for artists. The salt pans have a pink hew due to the prawns that live there. This attracts flocks of

Feeding the Fish in Sicily

This picture, which looks like blue bubble wrap, is one I took on a boat ride in Sicily this year. I was with our guests on our first October course of Art Toscana painting holidays in Italy. After throwing ourselves into the crystal clear water with our snorkels and masks, to admire the marine life