Jan's Guestbook

"It's not all about the improvement, though I do believe my painting is getting better, it's really about having such a lovely time. Three more days of delight, intense concentration and creativity, guided so knowledgeably, unobtrusively but actually very carefully, by you. I feel very blessed to be enjoying learning like this, to be able to produce my "overworked, but with moments" paintings, and being able to join with the others. Very nice food, eating far too much! Painting is such ease for the soul. Looking forward to my next session."
With love, F.

"Hi Jan
Just wanted to send so much thanks to you for a wonderful three day introduction to water colours!! I admit I was nervous and very quiet (if you only knew how loud I can be!!!), but I feel I learned so much and have a good grounding on which to build before coming back in December. (Will not be so quiet with best friend there too!!). I have been looking at everything with new, and opened eyes at last. 
The atmosphere you and your home create is beautiful and relaxing and makes everything seem possible. It cheered me up enormously to be there and to listen to the banter and friendship you have allowed to flourish, obviously over many years for some of your ‘pupils’. I look forward to my return. Meanwhile…practice, practice, and more practice! 
Thanks to you especially for all your encouragement and inspiration. Must be so rewarding to share your joy and skill with others! 
Kind regards and very best wishes" K.P.

"Thank you Jan so much for three wonderful days. I loved every minute. It was a pure joy and luxury to spend the days under your guidance, enjoying exploring colour and form surrounded by such warm and positive people. Hopefully to be repeated!
Much love" A.

"I had such a lovely time this week - I'm filled with gratitude to you for the way you organise everything; the information for everyone when we arrived; so much thought of and planned for us to enjoy and learn at the same time. Particularly though, I appreciate your talent to create your accurate and at the same time entirely painterly paintings, and to share unstintlingly your techniques and experience to help us. I will be in touch to hopefully book more time with you.
With love" F.

"Thankyou so much for a wonderful three days Jan, I have always admired your work as a frequent visitor to Wroxham Barns and to be given the chance to be advised by you was wonderful. I feel really inspired to paint, something I had been very close to giving up on. I learned such a lot especially not to give up when something goes wrong which is what had been happening, thus ending up with many unfinished paintings. I will now look at the bigger picture. I realise the need for guidance in all the technical aspects etc. and you provided them in such a lovely way that I feel confident that I can improve my art with your help whenever you have any availability in classes or courses. I have also made new friends too. It was a lovely group of people and such gorgeous food. Thankyou again." Judith

"I had a really enjoyable day and was really pleased with my work. I still have it on my board in my conservatory and it seems to get better and better every day. I had been struggling to get motivated and you helped a lot." Jacqui

"Just to say thank you once again for a wonderful holiday." M. & C.

"Just felt I had to write to you to say thankyou for the wonderful 3 days M. and I had at your painting course last week. We enjoyed it so much we didn’t want it to end. I would be happy to come every day of the week." Wendy

"Just to say thank you for your help and guidance with the painting of flowers. I enjoyed the three days and was pleased with the results I obtained. I found your demonstrations very helpful and the use of inks to produce unpredictable backgrounds was brilliant." Frank

"Just a quick note to say how much me and my mum enjoyed the holiday with you – it’s a pity it could not have lasted longer. Thank you once again for a really great time." W. & C.

"Thanks for a terrific holiday." V & C.

"Thank you for a lovely week. It was all thought out so well, all the effort is appreciated." Gwen

"Just a line to thank you once again for the most enjoyable holiday I’ve had in a long time." Marie

"Just a quick line to thank you for a great three days. I learned a lot." Pat

"Another big thank you. I had a wonderful time and I so appreciated the studio in the evening. It was magical." Theresa

"Thank you for making our painting trip so enjoyable and looking after everyone so well. I’m looking forward to the card making day." Elsie

"Thank you so much for having me on your art course last week. It was so nice to come and relax and paint in such a lovely atmosphere. I really felt as if I’d been on holiday. Thank you for all your help and demonstrations, I am now looking at flowers in a completely different way." Bonny

"Arrived home safely after 3 wonderful days. Thank you for your kindness and expertise, which is the best!" Theresa

"Would like you to know how much I have enjoyed our wonderful holiday. A big ‘Thank You’ for organizing everything so brilliantly. It was so special for me, the beautiful scenery, good company, laughs, and the added bonus of (trying) to paint and draw, plus giving me lots of ideas to work on." Shirley

"Thank you for a most enjoyable holiday. Your sensitive and encouraging leadership made the whole time a memorable experience." M. & M.

"Many thanks for a great week. I feel I’ve had a three week holiday. Everyone on the course had a great time with a lot of talent shining through, and the weather just helped it along. Your cottage is beautiful and I can’t thank you enough for the use of it." E.

"Just to say that I really enjoyed the last three days, it was such an indulgence! Spending all that time doing something I love in the company of like-minded people in delightful surroundings, and being spoiled with good coffee, delicious lunches, and yummy cakes and tea. You really do stimulate the mind, and the taste buds! I will try not to stay in the 'comfort zone' with my painting in the future and hope to see you again before too long." M.

"Thank you organising such a lovely holiday. Corfu has captured my heart." T.

"I would like to thank you for a fun and interesting holiday. I think Corfu is a beautiful island, in fact the loveliest I have visited. Nothing was too much trouble for you and you gave your all round the clock with great charm. The Hotel Nafsika really suited our group, relaxed and fun. I have become really keen to paint so am sure we will meet again. Many thanks from us both." A-M.

"It was truly wonderful. Nothing could have prepared me for such a great time. There was a lovely mix of people. Super venues for painting. I loved the days going out and about. I loved the evenings eating together and socialising. I think the whole holiday was about being with likeminded souls and sharing a mutual interest. You did give us such a memorable break. Your support and enthusiasm was second to none. I am your one-woman fan club." P.

"Just a note to say how much I enjoyed the holiday. I really appreciate your organisation of such a lovely trip in an idyllic setting. When you start collecting names for May would you include mine for an apartment room again." J.

"I arrived home safely yesterday and just want to thank you for such a pleasant day on Wednesday. I can find such occasions a bit daunting but everything was lovely - the facilities and location were perfect and what a really nice group of people, none more so than yourself of course. Thanks again, I do hope to return." R.

"Dear Jan, I just wanted to write and thank you so much for a wonderful course. I enjoyed every minute of it and hope to be back with you soon. Everything about the course was relaxed and you and everyone else were so supportive. As a beginner I was a bag of nerves as to what I would achieve, but with your help and easy nature it was a real pleasure to produce the work I did. I have been showing my work around to a few friends and also on Facebook so my daughter can see it and I am bowled over with all the nice comments I am getting... I have even done a couple of small paintings yesterday and tried to remember everything you taught us, even tried one totally free, no sketching and the finished product didn't look too bad in the end.

Once again a million thanks to you .... you have really inspired me to continue with this new hobby and that is because you are so passionate about your craft and it shows. I really would like to do the line & wash course ... you never know if you have places in July it might be sooner rather than later :-)"
L x

"Dear Jan,

My word, I learnt a lot these last 3 days.   Always so much to learn.   I am tired, I expect you are more so. I had a wonderful time and discovered so many new things.  How marvellous, and I can fully understand why they say that painting is good for the brain, all that learning, all that applying and concentrating and forgetting everything else, including the dreaded vote, for hours at a time.    It was a totally valuable and totally therapeutic time.    I always marvel at how hard you work, beforehand, preparing - all the  things like getting in or cutting flowers, cutting up all the oases, filling jars, writing names, preparing handouts, preparing your teaching, lunches, drinks, the room and our places, all of it.   Then during the sessions giving us all such lovely encouragement and help and teaching all the time, and then afterwards, clearing up, stocking up your stocks of everything, and my word that is appreciated, we all love shopping, brushes, paints, equipment, it all adds to the enjoyment, then the cleaning, and the clearing up, tidying, oh, just so much.   You are greatly valued and thank you, for all of it.

And it was so good having supper with you. A real treat. And the cottage with your thoughtful welcome, and preparation there, lovely as always.   It has become a home from home, everything there for us.  I love just stepping out of the door to go for a walk, and then stepping through the other door to arrive for the day!

So, another lovely time, I am very blessed,
With lots of love, warm wishes and thanks,
F xx"