I was given a last minute booking for this cruise to the Canaries and Madeira in February '26 - I was skiing in Austria when I received confirmation from the agent and I had 4 days to turn around when I got home. A bit frantic but it was worth it. Luckily it was an itinerary I had done before so I had the teaching materials, it was just a case of getting it all together! We set off from Tilbury on February 4, a rough passage across the Bay of Biscay but thank goodness the Stugeron worked. I got to know the lovely people in my class (most of whom came to every class, sometimes twice a day!) and began with a gentle introduction to techniques. Before long they were all really into it and creating some beautiful paintings. Through the sea days we explored colour theory and rescue remedies as well as landscapes of the Canaries and Madeira - by the end of the trip there was a fabulous exhibition of all the work they had done. Well done everyone, thanks for being so enthusiastic and hard working! I had some lovely comments at the end, with one person saying it was the highlight of their cruise. It's so rewarding!

What a wonderful week we had in Olhao, a gem of a town in the Parque Naturelle de Ria Formosa! Only 30 minutes from Faro airport but a world away from the golf courses of the Algarve. It's a major fishing port supplying the whole of Portugal, with a large market and a beautiful old town. We took ferries to the islands, walked to the Tide Mill in the nature reserve and took the train to Tavira - considered the Pearl of the Algarve, with its castle, old town and roman bridge. We were wonderfully looked after by the staff of the Casa Rosa hotel and spent some time painting in the studio there. Added to all that we had some amazing meals, good wine and lots of fun!

Here's a link to my youTube channel ​www.youtube.com/@helenhalliday383

I've just arrived home after a wonderful voyage across the Atlantic in this magnificent ship. I was teaching art classes every day, they were busy with many guests, most coming to all the classes and some just starting in the last day or two. I plan the classes as a progressive course covering many basic techniques and lots of tips and ideas, after my introductory talk and demo I then run over anything the newcomers might have missed. Then I walk around the class and help each guest with their individual work, helping them to solve technical problems and tap into their own creativity and preferences. It's exhausting but incredibly rewarding as people who are sometimes complete beginners find that they can produce some paintings they can be proud of, and also I love to see more experienced artists trying a new approach. We had both on the QM2, and also many levels in between - it's wonderful to see the range of interpretations and styles. I always suggest a theme and will take people through a particular project but also emphasise that they are free to paint whatever they like - I provide many different photographs as inspiration (all my own photos, either of landscapes I've experienced or paintings I have done). The feedback on this last voyage was so enthusiastic that it gave me a great boost and I realise that I can really help people grow in skill and confidence - it makes all that hard work worthwhile! Here are some of the comments:

'A really brilliant week. Thanks for a refreshing approach to art. Learnt so much & enjoyable too."
'I loved the classes, I learnt so much & hope I have the opportunity to learn from you again.'
'Fantastic opportunity to learn watercolor while on this transatlantic journey! Excellent presentations. Key concepts to learn. With just a few lessons a foundation for future experimenting with the watercolor medium'
'What a joy! So much fun while learning!'
'Thank you Helen – I have learned so much and love your book too!!'
'Absolutely brill – you’ve saved me years of study.'
'Fantastic class, such positive energy, thank you!'