Art and Botany Blogs

ARTIST’S BLOG
The tutor for our Art Holidays in Menorca is really getting into the swing of her new blog.

After just a little bit of encouragement and guidance in the technique of putting up blog posts, Artists Sue Ford is now posting regularly on her new website blog to be found at - www.sueford.co.uk

Sue is keen to develop the website and blog with lots of FREE ‘how-to’ articles about art and painting technique. The blog will also be a way of keeping artists up-to-date with Sue Ford’s latest art course and art holiday dates, prices and events – so bookmark the Sue Ford Home Page and do pay regular visits from now on. Sue does not claim to be a computer expert – but she’s learning fast and will soon be a competent blogger. Well done Sue.

BOTANY BLOG
After a bit of a slow start, botanist David Hawker, who is the leader of our Botany Holidays in Menorca, is now getting the hang of posting blogs on the Botany Blog. Like artists Sue Ford, David does not make any claims to computer wizardry – but he’s getting there, and is also now able to post his own.

David has a very relaxed writing style – a lot like his teaching style – and his short but incisive posts are a pleasure to read – and every time I read one of David’s botany posts I learn a little more about the wild flowers he loves so much.

Find out more about:
Art Holidays in Menorca with Sue Ford
Botany Holidays in Menorca with David Hawker

New Art Materials Shop

Our art tutor Sue Ford’s new website now has a Artists’ Shop with some first class bargains for good quality art materials.

Sue, who is the art tutor for our Art Holidays in Menorca, has also added her wish list and recommendations for really good value buys for everything from paints and brushes to canvas, paper and art books.

Sue would really really appreciate your ideas and recommendations for materials she could include in the shop. Contact Sue Ford

The shop is powered by Amazon and you can buy with total confidence.

Baby Boy for Tango Dancing Teachers

I’m delighted to hear that our talented Tango teachers Ricardo and Jenny are now the proud parents of a brand new baby boy.

Many congratulations

Jenny and Ricardo will be taking the new addition to their family to Menorca for our Tango Dancing Holiday in September – they will also be taking Jenny’s parents who will be babysitting while Jenny and Ricardo are dancing and teaching.

There are just two places remaining on this very special Tango Dancing Holiday – don’t miss your opportunity BOOK NOW

Artist Sue Ford’s new website

Our talented art tutor Sue Ford now has a completely new website with her own brand new blog.

Sue will be writing regularly about her painting activities and the posts will include lots of how-to art articles and painting technique tips.

The new website now includes a Gallery of Sue’s paintings and pictures. More will be added as we go along. You will also find a list of all Sue Ford’s forthcoming Art Courses and Art Holidays – including of course, our own Art Holiday in Menorca next May 2011.

Also included in the new website is the Artists’ Shop – here you can buy artists materials from Amazon and have them delivered to your door. Sue has offered her own recommendations for good quality art bargains, so don’t miss this. Many more items will be added to this shop – and Sue would appreciate your suggestions and ideas for items that might be included. Contact Sue Ford.

You will notice that the style of Sue’s new website is similar to that of Inspiration Holidays and you’d be absolutely right. The new website is hosted here with Inspiration Holidays. Eventually it will be given a very individual identity.

Meanwhile the plan is to promote Sue Ford’s artistic endeavours and art tutoring, and we are delighted to do so.

Take a look at Artist Sue Ford’s new website

Photography Holiday Fully Booked

The Photography Holiday in Menorca with Philip Dunn – September 24th – 1st October 2010 is now FULLY BOOKED

An extra photography holiday for September 3rd – 10th will go ahead if I get 8 photographers interested.

NOTE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY HOLIDAY September 3rd to September 10th

Please register your interest here if you would like to come on this extra holiday. You will be taken to Philip Dunn’s PhotoActive website

There are places available on the Photography Holiday in May 2011

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY HOLIDAYS WITH PHILIP DUNN

Menorca Art Holiday Photo Album

I have posted a brand new photo album of pictures taken during our recent Art Holiday in Menorca with artist Sue Ford.

I really enjoy taking photographs during these holidays. I do not pretend to be a painter, but even though I’ve been a professional photographer all my life, I still get a great buzz from taking photographs.

The artists always seem to  make such wonderful photographs when they sit at their easels in the studio overlooking the blue Mediterranean, or find a comfortable and shady spot when they are painting en plein air.

Take a look at the picture here, for instance. It shows artist and tutor Sue Ford with John Shelton during our Art Holiday. They found themselves a shady nook to paint a new aspects of the extraordinarily picturesque fishing village of Binibeca – and even a local pussy cat settled down to watch.

Anyway, I hope all those involved enjoy looking at the photos.

GO TO MENORCA ART HOLIDAY PHOTO ALBUM

LEARN MORE ABOUT ART HOLIDAYS IN MENORCA

David Hawker’s new Botany blog

I’m delighted to say that Botanist David Hawker, who teaches during our Botany Holidays in Menorca, has accepted our invitation to keep a Botany Blog on the Inspiration Holidays website.

This is great news and I’m sure David will be offering some wonderful insights into the world of wild flowers that will be of tremendous interest to all the visitors to our website.

David Hawker is also passionately interested in ornithology – he certainly taught me a great deal about the birds of Menorca while we were there in May this year – and I’ve no doubt he will also be be giving some useful bird watching tips in his blog posts.

The seed of David Hawker’s Botany Blog has only just germinated, but I’m confident that it will grow strongly.  Do keep following – I’m sure you will enjoy.

The photograph shows botanist David Hawker in the beautiful and remote cove of Rafalet in Menorca during our latest Botany Holiday.

GO TO DAVID HAWKER’S BOTANY BLOG

New Botany and Wild Flowers blog

After the great success of our very first Botany Holiday in Menorca, I am delighted that botanist David Hawker has accepted our invitation to write a regular blog on the Inspiration Holidays website.

David has a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience and, with his great enthusiasm for his subject, I expect his posts will become reqiured reading for a great many fellow botany enthusiasts.

David will be free to write about any subject he chooses – so I expect his great love of ornithology will be making an appearance from time to time. It was while working in Menorca with David recently that I was first able to identify the song of a nightingale. Yes, I know it sounds obvious, but unless someone tells you the first time, how can you be sure what you are listening to? And once I knew – I realised just how many nightingales there are in Menorca.

Wild flowers, birds – they abound in Menorca

Over to you David…

Philip Dunn

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR BOTANY HOLIDAYS IN MENORCA

Successful Art Holiday in Menorca

We have just said farewell to our artist Sue Ford and a lovely group of artists who have been with us for an Art Holiday in Menorca this past week. The sun shone and Menorca was seen at its very best.

This was the first time we have engaged Sue to tutor one of our Art Holidays and we have been greatly impressed by her professionalism, artistic talent and teaching ability.

We are delighted that Sue has agreed to tutor our next Art Holiday in Menorca in 2011. Judging by some of the delightful comments we have received from this holiday, it looks as though we will be welcoming back several artists again next year. They will be most welcome.

Dates for the 2011 Art Holiday will be posted on the Inspiration-Holidays website very soon.

Everyone was very impressed by the beauty and cleanliness of Menorca, and the facilities we offer at the Hotel S’Algar. John Shelton told us that we were seriously under-selling the fabulous poolside studio that is available to our artists during the holiday.

Perhaps he’s right, so just to ensure everyone is aware of the beautiful facilities available to our artists in Menorca, I have posted a picture here of Sue Ford with Mary Bonner, one of our artist guests working on the terrace of our poolside studio.

From here you can – if you feel inclined – plunge straight into the pool, or walk a few more paces and swim in the blue Mediterranean. The poolside restaurant is available for drinks or lunch, and in May, the hotel is pleasantly quiet.

Last night we held our Champagne Exhibition of the art work created during the week. This is always a lovely relaxing way to end the art holiday and everyone who came was highly impressed by the standard of the paintings and sketches produced by Sue Ford and our clients.

Well done everyone, we very much hope to see you all again on our Art Holiday in Menorca in 2011 – dates and prices for next years’s Art Holiday with Sue Ford will be posted very soon.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR ART HOLIDAYS IN MENORCA

Botany Holiday Menorca 2011 dates set

Altogether our group, led by botanist David Hawker, discovered a total of 208 species of wild flowers including 8 species indigenous and unique to Menorca.
We took our botanists to some of the most beautiful and species-rich areas of this lovely Mediterranean island, including the Algendar Gorge and S’Albafura National Park. We explored the hidden gems of the ancient Cami Cavalls (old bridle path) and marvelled at the richness in the variety of plants we found among the old buildings of La Mola, the abandoned fortifications at the entrance to Mahon Harbour.

Yes, our Botany Holiday in Menorca has proved a great success and one we shall be repeating again next year. There will be some small changes in the format of the holiday, photography tuition for instance, will cease to play a role in the holiday and all our resources and energies will be focused on exploring the wild flowers of Menorca.
Holiday dates for next year are 6th – 13th May 2011. Prices to be confirmed very soon. Once again botanist David Hawker will lead this Botany Holiday in Menorca.

A new holiday booking form will also be available as soon as possible

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