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.

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


  • Co-Founder

    Angie’s unique blend of skills and talents reflect her experience in running multiple businesses, her passion for Japanese culture, her appreciation for sustainable travel and her innovative pursuits in architecture.

    Angie has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Ecotourism, and is currently advancing her studies in Architecture at Curtin University.

    For most of her career, Angie has immersed herself in the tourism and hospitality sectors. She has spent the past few years assisting her parents in their Japan Art Tour business, honing her skills in customer service, organisation, and cultural communication. Growing up in a bilingual household, Angie speaks Japanese, enabling her to connect authentically with clients and guests while navigating the nuances of cross-cultural interactions. Her ability to operate seamlessly in both English and Japanese allows her to offer unique insights into the experiences she curates.

    Angie's strong organisational skills have been a driving force throughout her career. Having owned and managed multiple businesses, she understands the complexities of operations, logistics, and client care.

    Angie’s values of family, community, and cultural engagement are reflected in all aspects of her life. Her passionate involvement in Taiko drumming with the Byron Taiko group offers an expressive outlet and a connection to her Japanese heritage.

    Angie lives in Northern NSW with her husband, two sons, and two dogs.


  • 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.