Five women sitting on a bench under a cherry blossom tree, smiling and talking. They are outdoors in a garden or park, with houses and a fence in the background.

Draw closer to culture, closer to art, closer to yourself.

Draw Closer

Immerse yourself in a different culture, meet like-minded people, learn to draw, practice traditional crafts, visit art museums and take time to explore.

Our tours are not about simply seeing a place, but being a part of it and letting it change you. Draw closer to what you see and experience, by drawing each day with guidance from a professional artist and teacher.

ENQUIRE NOW

Even back in their primary school days, Angie was an energetic and resourceful leader and Honor was a creative daydreamer.

Now, these lifelong friends have brought their signature qualities together to create Draw Closer, a vision of small group travel that fosters connection, presence and creative growth through meaningful encounters with special places.

Who we are

A woman smiling with wavy brown hair, standing indoors next to a textured wall and a dark background.


  • Co-Founder

    Angie brings together a love of culture, creativity, and thoughtful travel. With a background in ecotourism and a passion for sustainable, immersive experiences, she has worked for many years in the tourism and hospitality sectors, and is currently studying Architecture at Curtin University.

    Angie grew up in a bilingual Japanese–English household and has spent the past four years assisting her parents in their Japan Art Tour business. Her strong grasp of the language and deep cultural connection allow her to guide with warmth, clarity, and care.

    She’s also an experienced small business owner with a sharp eye for detail, a love of organisation, and a calm, steady presence—skills that help ensure each tour runs smoothly and meaningfully.

    Angie lives in Northern NSW with her husband, two sons, and two dogs, and enjoys playing Taiko drums as a joyful link to her heritage.

A smiling woman with long brown hair standing outdoors in front of greenery, with sunlight creating lens flare effects.


  • Co-Founder

    Honor has been either studying, teaching, practising, exhibiting or thinking about drawing for over 25 years. She has an MA in fine Art from RMIT University, and has exhibited nationally and internationally. She has taught drawing for 15 years at TAFE and University level, and was Head of Drawing at the La Trobe College of Art and Design for many years.

    Honor sees drawing as a unique way to explore the world around us and within us, not only recording what we see, but tracing our experience of time and space, touch and thought, emotion and identity. When combined with travel, drawing can both record and deepen our encounters with the world in a way that nothing else can, making a multi-faceted memory that is preserved on the page forever.

    Honor has written and taught the drawing component of three art tours to the Venice Biennale, and enjoys planning new ways of using drawing to make the adventure of travel more mindful, connected and fulfilling.

    Honor grew up in inner-city Melbourne, and now lives in country Victoria with her husband and daughter, six chickens, four sheep, two ducks and one dog. She has drawn them all many times.

People sitting on chairs on a wooden deck by the water, with trees overhead and distant islands or land across the water.

OUR TOURS

"We laughed, we cried, we explored and we laughed some more. The gratitude for the experience of Draw Closer has filled my cup for years to come"

- Abelia, Draw Closer to Japan 2025

"I loved reconnecting back to who I am and letting go of the responsibility of being a Mother. All of a sudden I could just laugh and have fun!"

- Claire, Draw Closer to Japan 2025

A drawing says: I lived in this moment. I was here.

Two people sitting in an ancient cemetery, drawing. One wears a black jacket and blue beanie, the other wears a gray coat. They are surrounded by moss-covered rocks and trees, with traditional stone lanterns and small structures in the background.

Watch something grow beneath your hands. Make something appear. A swirl of colour, a thatch of lines, a rough scribble or a delicate study. Experience simple wonder in the way your movements leave unique traces on the page.

Honor has over a decade’s experience teaching drawing to absolute beginners, established artists and everything in between. Whatever your skill level, Honor’s gentle encouragement, deep knowledge and fresh approaches will help you rediscover a child’s pleasure in drawing.

A painting workspace with watercolor paints, brushes, an open sketchbook with a landscape drawing, a cup of tea, and art supplies on a wooden table.
Person sketching buildings and trees in a sketchbook with a mechanical pencil.

Drawing in new environments encourages us to slow our seeing, to be present in our body as we absorb the space around us. All Draw Closer drawing sessions centre around connection and presence. Learn ways to use composition, colour, texture and tone to anchor a moment in time on the page.

All materials provided, including a high-quality watercolour sketchbook to fill with your memories.

Close-up of a person's hands drawing in a sketchbook with a light blue colored pencil, wearing a gold wedding ring and a brown and red plaid shirt, sitting at a table.
Person flipping through a large, well-used scrapbook or photo album, with one hand pointing to a page and the other hand holding a pen or marker.