Why not join as a member of my website and get 10% discount off any product when you log in and buy online. Plus you will get updates about new paintings and forthcoming exhibitions.

Simply click on the 'sign up' link, on the navigation bar, submit your details and 'login' to start enjoying your membership benefits.

• Under the guidance of David Durston and Chris Fothergill you will be encouraged to work in whatever medium inspires you, whether it be drawing, watercolour, oils, or ‘sketch-booking’. There will be demonstrations from the tutors, and the emphasis will be on enjoying the process of painting, despite the inevitable frustrations!

Beginners and non-painting partners welcome!

There will be no lack of inspiration for creativity in the fabulous surroundings of the medieval hamlet of Castelvecchio - nestling in the heart of Tuscany. Come and enjoy a wonderfully relaxing time with us whilst brushing up your painting skills.

“Northleach Market Hall and High Cross” from a pen and watercolour painting by Chris Fothergill 2010, after a painting by Frederick Stockdale, c.1820.

One of 100 Giclee Fine Art prints on watercolour paper, signed and numbered by C.Fothergill. Image size approx. 13” x 8”, framed size approx. 19” x 14”. Available in packaged double mount for £49.00 (can be posted).

Available fully framed with washlined double mount and quiet gold frame for £79.00. (Including local delivery or can be collected).

• Please note we are unable to send frames with glass by post.

Which is in fact ‘The Green, Northleach’ featuring Tudor House, home to Fothergills Gallery for 15 years from 1994 to 2010, to the left hand side of the painting!

I knew he had been to Northleach and done a charcoal sketch of The Green, as I had seen a copy of it, but I didn’t know he had gone on to do a painting.

It is set in the bitter winter of 1947, with children playing in the snow. I was so taken with the scene that I decided to paint a copy of Lowry’s original. Stretching a canvas to the original size of 18” x 21.5” I painted a thick layer of titanium white over the canvas in a rough texture as one might artex a ceiling.

Then painting in the outlines with ivory black I began blocking in colours and putting in figures, then painting around them, and adding thin colour over thick, then more white. I studied the paintwork on the original (online!) and Lowry obviously worked back and forth in all sorts of ways. I found out that he only ever used five colours in oils; flake white, ivory black, vermillion, Prussian blue and yellow ochre. Getting into the mind of another artist is never easy, and I only used acrylics instead of oils so that I could accomplish the painting quickly and the thick paint would dry fast.

It was a fascinating exercise, and I was pleased with the result, which on the face of it is quite similar to the original. I put a thinnest watery grey wash over the top afterwards to age the thick paint, and some button polish near the edges to give a mucky patina.

Great fun, but I don’t think I’ll get £265,00 for it! You can see it at The Ox House Wine Company in the Market Place, Northleach... it should make a good talking point!