Summer /Autumn 2026
Big Draw Japan Festival & Summer School 2026
Thank you to all who made our first Big Draw Japan (festival of drawing!) with kids in tow and especially our friend and host, café Eau Vent Soleil! Pics below – stay tuned for 2026!
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Summer School 2026 & Art Consultancy
Always wanted to learn how to draw? Time to develop a portfolio? Chance to get back to something you used to do and miss?
Summer school students booking their slots now (5 class packages, 1-1 tuition) Monday – Friday, mornings/afternoons. Foundation courses and advanced classes. Leave with a portfolio of drawings and canvases you never thought possible! The difference: there’s a reason why people can accelerate their skills with a mentor – studying with someone who can boost your skills makes a big difference and here at Atelier Kato, you’re in good hands!
Summer School Art Enquiries & Reservations:
info@divyamariekato.com
Atelier fully booked till June. Summer School runs July – August. Students booking in their preferred slots (5 lesson course package) enquire re: availability email:
info@divyamariekato.com
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Art Consultancy
Artist-in-Residence +
PGCE Qualified (Art Specialism) +
EY Experience / Reggio Emilia Background +
Primary Experience / UK NC Art Curriculum Design +
Secondary Experience / High School / Curriculum Design +
University Experience / Curriculum Design / Portfolio Development
20+ Years Experience in Art Education
PROGRAMME PAGE
info@divyamariekato.com
Art Team Builds / Art Curriculum /Atelier / Art Studio Set Up / Fine Arts CPD /
Curation & Visible Learning…
Consultancy Delivered in 3 Tiers To Acccommodate Organisations Starting From Scratch, Those Reviewing Mid-Point, Those Looking To World-Class Art Provision
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Drawing Classes / Foundation Course
What better gift could there possibly be?! Classes, courses, consultancy or CPD.
Art Programmes | Drawing Classes
info@divyamariekato.com
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2026 Availability Update
*** FULLY BOOKED UNTIL JUNE 2026 ***
*All Bookings First-Come, First-Served Basis *
Registration For 2026 Waiting List:
info@divyamariekato.com
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Big Draw’s Back… All Right!
Brought the Big Draw – the world’s largest festival of drawing – back to Tokyo with our award-winning, Big Draw Japan team, for 2025!
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Tokyo Drawing Classes & Art After School
Mondays / Tuesdays / Fridays / Saturdays
Registration For Waiting List: info@divyamariekato.com
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Drawing Classes
The visible work is on the paper. The invisible work is in yourself.
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Tokyo: Mondays / Tuesdays / Fridays / Saturdays
Taking The Course At Home: Email to get your art set sent to you
info@divyamariekato.com
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WHEN IN DOUBT DRAW: Think You Can’t Draw? Think Again!
Artist Divya Marie Kato’s most popular, signature, five part drawing course. As Atelier Kato celebrates 10 years, we’re proud that our humble home/drawing school/art atelier, home of When In Doubt, Draw, a course that started off at my kitchen table, has now welcomed students from all around the world and helped many return to drawing for life, work and play. My promise to you: you’ll leave with a portfolio of drawings you never thought possible.
WHAT’S WHEN IN DOUBT, DRAW?
Divya’s flagship art programme, distilled from 20 years of teaching people how to draw, is designed to give you all you need to build a strong foundation in drawing – even if it has been a while or you really think you can’t! Many have used the course to build and prepare portfolios – with artists and artworks to explore, this portfolio continues growing well past the last class of the course.
5 STEP FOUNDATION COURSE
In 5 classes, accompanied by drawing exercises, artists and art history, art materials, downloadable PDFs and an ever growing resource area, Divya will guide you through the process she’s developed over 20 years working as an artist and educator. Doubts to drawings, stick figures to stress free sketching: guaranteed. You’ll never walk alone with a pencil in your hand.
WHY WHEN IN DOUBT, DRAW?
You’ll find Divya’s approach different than traditional art courses. How? Don’t take her word for it, check out the reviews – she passionately believes that drawing is for everyone and that everyone can!
CLASSES & ENQUIRIES
Divya has taught students from all over the world, aged 5-75 – you can and you will!
Tokyo: Mondays / Tuesdays / Fridays / Saturdays
Taking The Course At Home: Email to get your art set sent to you
info@divyamariekato.com
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Art Adventures….
Rocking With Refugees!
Happy to create this hand-painted banner and see it flying high at Fuji Rock! Ganbatte Refugees Empowerment International! Are you going this year?! Heard it’ll be MASSIVE!
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Theatre Set Painting
Grateful for the opportunity presented by Tokyo International Players to paint this backdrop for their fantastic production of the Tempest. Thank you Jack and Shinji at Our Space, Hatagaya!
(psst! you know I’ve been painting BIG since the 90’s and love nothing more, so if you’re in need of a backdrop, or anything over 5m, you know who to call)
info@divyamariekato.com
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Year of the Horse
A Year Of Change
info@divyamariekato.com
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Septic Tank Transformation…
Turning s*** to gold!
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Mural Magic
Reflecting on the collaborative murals we’ve created over the years, these have been the most meaningful pieces, because they involved many different hands, hearts and minds coming together.
These large-scale, ambitious, vibrant, collaborative murals brought together members of each community, unifying their mark making into masterpieces bringing energy, dynamism and inspiration to blank spaces. They champion hope and form an eclectic testament to what it means to work together.
I found a cool article by the Royal Drawing School embracing this idea too (see below).
A picture is worth a thousand words…
Having taught art for twenty years, I can:
- design a programme around your time frame involving the whole team
- plan and provide a draft of the mural (reflecting vision / values)
- PAINT!
- Document the process with photography/time lapse video
Idea for a wall? Get in touch and let’s make it happen!
info@divyamariekato.com
ps! large scale backdrops are my jam (or anything over 5m…)
Royal Drawing School Article: Power Of The Mural Here
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Giving Back: Buy Art, Bring Hope
With the little ones in tow, we’re not able to get to many events these days and missed the one and only REI (Refugee Empowerment International) Gala, so… welcome to our Fundraising Auction!
30% of all sales to be donated to Refugees Empowerment International.
Click on the link below for the Auction PDF.
Email with the title of the painting and your bid.
Enquiries: info@divyamariekato.com
Year of the Dragon Auction PDF
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Divya Marie Kato, Atelier Kato Tokyo
Artist, Educator, Consultant, Drawing Teacher, Visual Arts Specialist (Preschools, International Schools, University, Community & Corporations), Creator, When In Doubt, Draw drawing programme, Story of Art & Art History for Oracy, What Is Art For? programmes, Founder, Atelier Kato Tokyo and The Award-Winning Big Draw Japan. Paris-born, London-raised, Tokyo-based, British Indian artist and educator raising the bar on art education since 2005.
Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, Companion of The Guild of St. George and passionate advocate of drawing (and dragons).
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Drawing For Work, Life & Play
Divya’s Art Programmes & Consultancy | INFO
Drawing Classes & Courses | INFO
Art For Hope Stories | INFO
Divya’s Portfolio | INFO
Services | INFO
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info@divyamariekato.com
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Stay in touch!
