Hi Reader, Due to a cancellation, a room has just opened up on my Italy retreat ... 18–25 September at Hotel Leone, Montelparo, Le Marche. A week of plein air watercolour in a genuinely beautiful corner of Italy. We'll be staying in a boutique palazzo, enjoying late summer light, exploring medieval villages and everything is taken care of. If you've been thinking about it - or if this is the first you're hearing of it - the full details are on my website. Your non-painting partner is welcome...

Hi Reader, Morocco this year was full of magical moments. Imagine ... Marrakech, just before sunset. Pencils down, watercolours out - and then the call to prayer begins over the Koutoubia Mosque. Harrison and I planned this moment for months. It still took our breath away. The sound rang out across the square just as we finished our sketches. Straight after, the lights came on and the mosque lit up against the evening sky. A perfect moment - and a wonderful last plein air session of the week....

Hi Reader, I'm writing this from my studio, still buzzing from last week's Morocco retreat. The laughter around the dinner table, the riot of colour in the souks, the snow capped mountains in the desert, the heaps of sketches we all made capturing our memories - it was everything I'd hoped for and more. My first retreat of the year, and what a way to start! In this email I'm opening bookings for my 2027 calendar. Four incredible locations, each with its own magic. Marrakech, MoroccoFebruary...