Italy In Watercolours
These paintings were created during a week-long art class in Montisi, Italy, led by the brilliant Elizabeth Cochrane. I’m so grateful for the guidance and space that helped me reconnect with creativity and learn to truly see again. Each piece holds a memory — of light, place, and rediscovery.
Lemon Trees in Montisi
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Dimensions: 55.88 cm (height) x 38.74 cm (width)
Year: 2015
Blurb: Painted during a week in the Tuscan village of Montisi, this piece captures a peaceful courtyard lined with terracotta pots and lemon trees. I remember how the dappled light danced across the stone walls — soft shadows, rich greens, and the golden yellow of ripe fruit.
This was one of those quiet, joy-filled moments that made me fall in love with painting again.
Montisi Alleyway
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Dimensions: 38.75 cm (height) x 28 cm (width)
Year: 2015
Blurb: This piece captures a sun-drenched alleyway in Montisi — a quiet corner where terracotta walls, climbing vines, and painted shutters come together in perfect Tuscan harmony.
Painted during a week of immersive study in the village, I was drawn to the mix of light and shadow and how the afternoon sun warmed the stone. There was something comforting about this view — not dramatic or grand, but intimate and alive with texture. A small moment, beautifully still.
View from Montisi
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Dimensions: 38 cm (height) x 56 cm (width)
Year: 2015
Blurb: Painted en plein air during a quiet afternoon in Montisi, this piece captures one of the most peaceful views I’ve ever sat with — the soft curve of the Tuscan hills rolling into the distance, framed by a terracotta urn and a sun-warmed stone terrace.
Created under the guidance of Elizabeth Cochrane during an art retreat, this was one of the first moments I felt confident letting the landscape guide my brush. The balance of shadow and light, and the gentle movement in the foliage, made it a joy to paint.
Montisi Hilltop and Poppy Field
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 29 cm (height) x 38.75 cm (width)
Year: 2015
Blurb: This painting was created during a guided exercise on an art retreat in Montisi, Tuscany, where I spent a week learning under the brilliant guidance of Elizabeth Cochrane. Working from one of her demonstrations, I followed along step by step, learning how to capture the balance of shape, light, and atmosphere that defines the Tuscan hills.
While not painted from life, this piece holds a special place for me — it was one of the first times I felt the rhythm of watercolour start to click.
Sunflower Field
Medium: Watercolour on paper
Dimensions: 28cm (height) x 37.5 cm (width)
Year: 2015
Blurb: This piece was created during a guided floral study while attending an art retreat in Montisi, Tuscany. It was one of several exercises led by artist Elizabeth Cochrane, designed to explore the looseness and layering possible in watercolour.
I followed along in real time, learning how to build shape and texture from washes of yellow and green. Though it wasn’t painted en plein air, it still brings back the heat of the sun and the joy of a very colourful learning curve.
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