Sketching and Painting Holidays
Every time I receive an enquiry from someone in a warmer climate asking about a sketching holiday, in Scotland, ‘this year’ – ie, during deepest, darkest winter – it always makes me smile. Perhaps they have not quite realised that Vistas holidays take place outside, in the landscape, and if the landscape is unavailable (behind … Read more
Last Saturday morning I was woken by the ping of my phone as a message came though. It was from my friend Jane, so I rubbed my eyes and opened it, wondering if she was heading into the village and wanted to meet for coffee. I would have slept a little longer if I could … Read more
There are few things I enjoy more than sitting in peaceful nature, in front of a beautiful view, in warm sunshine with my sketchpad out an a few spare hours to myself. One of those things is introducing a friend to the pleasures of watercolour, and teaching her the basics. Looking at this page, it … Read more
I’m often asked why I run the Scottish itineraries just once a year, and never in the middle of ‘summer’. There are several answers, but the simplest ones are: 1. I have a lot of itineraries, and others which I would like to introduce in time. If they all ran more than once a year, … Read more
Still warmed from the two Morocco adventures in March, I have since had some lovely feedback from guests who enjoyed their time enough to write about it. I’m grateful for Helen from Australia who wrote this lovely review: ‘Painted Desert – What an amazing sketching journey! My Moroccan adventure began in a beautiful mosaic filled … Read more
I’ve just returned from nearly a month in Morocco, and two wonderful trips with some great people. It was lovely to be back after three and a half years – four, for the desert – and I realised how much I’d been missing the warmth, the food and those colours! Early March usually brings my … Read more
The decisions over what size of luggage to take on a trip… can I get away with hand luggage? Pay for a large cabin bag? Or do I have to check one? … are taken out of my hands when there is so much equipment to bring along. I plead with clients to travel light, … Read more
Firstly, I would like to wish all Vistas sketching holiday clients – past, present and future – a very happy and healthy 2023, wherever it may find you. Instead of clogging your inboxes with a newsletter I have decided to post a trips update here, since I have had a huge influx of enquiries and … Read more
As we approach the winter solstice, Vistas Sketching Holidays would like to wish all clients past, present and future, a very happy festive period and a peaceful, healthy and prosperous 2023. In the new year I will be updating dates, prices and departures of the holidays and, hopefully, finalise the itineraries of the new Scottish … Read more
The eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed that a couple of the Scottish trips have bright, sparkling new names. This is not just for the fun of it, undisputed though that may be. If you’re really astute you’ll also be aware that the itineraries have changed; either a little, in the case of ‘The Bonnie … Read more
