A cool breeze greeted me on my return to Heathrow, but the paintings of Cotto bathed me again in the warmth of the Tuscan sun ... and there is nothing more pleasurable than to gaze at your paintings and recall a wonderful fortnight spent teaching and painting in the company of like-minded people, in the dreamy Tuscan village of Cotto.

We had a fortnight of unbroken sunshine, and the terraces around Casa Canonica were teeming with painters enjoying the views, and trying to capture them on paper. No doubt the wine at lunch time helped with the "loosening up," and laying down exciting watercolour washes before reigning things in again with a couple of decisive brush strokes. The swimming pool provided pleasant respite from sun and easel.

Mountains again next for me, this time in the Scottish Highlands. The painting course starts on the 26th of June. I can hardly wait to meet once more with Gillian and Mark Pattinson, their friends and family, in Brynaport, and that glorious untouched Highland landscape.

Apologies to all who could not join me this June, but all of my courses filled up rather quickly. However we always have next year, when I very much hope to see you again ... or for the first time!

All the best, Bettina