The Art of Seeing with Julia Henze
11TH-18TH April 2-27 - South Africa - $3600 Early Bird
The Experience
Learn to truly see
When you sketch on location, you're not just drawing. You're paying attention — to the colours, the atmosphere, the light, the feeling of being completely present.
In the heart of Manyoni Private Game Reserve, internationally acclaimed urban sketcher and watercolour artist Julia Henze will guide you through a week of looking closer. Morning Big Five game drives bring you face to face with Africa's extraordinary wildlife. Afternoons are spent translating those encounters into bright, expressive sketchbook pages.
This retreat is for the curious and open-minded — those who want to build confidence, find their creative voice, and come away with practical skills they'll use for the rest of their lives. Skill level matters far less than attitude. Curiosity gets you everywhere.
"More than anything, I want participants to slow down and truly see. Some of the most beautiful sketches happen when we stop judging ourselves and allow ourselves to explore."
— Julia Henze
"Julia holds a law degree — but after six months in the legal field, she returned to art. She's been teaching for over a decade since. Her story shapes everything about how she teaches: she firmly believes anyone can learn to draw and paint.
Eight days of colour and wonder
- Big Five Game Drives
Twice-daily drives through Manyoni Private Game Reserve with an expert ranger. Lion, elephant, rhino, leopard, buffalo — your first-hand reference material, experienced up close.
- Daily Sketching Sessions
Guided workshops each afternoon with Julia: colour mixing, composition, simplifying complex scenes, working with strong contrasts. Practical skills, beautifully taught.
- On-Location Drawing
Julia's signature approach: sketching in the landscape itself. Learn to capture not just what you see, but how a place feels — its atmosphere, its light, its particular aliveness.
- Wildlife as Subject Matter
Learn to simplify complex subjects — animals in motion, trees and texture, birds and insects. Julia teaches you to find the essential shapes hidden within what looks overwhelming.
- Luxury Lodge Life
Six nights at Zebra Hills Lodge — private en-suite rooms, exceptional cuisine, sundowners in the bush, and the African night sky as your backdrop. Completely all-inclusive.
- Materials Included
All art materials, sketchbooks, and watercolours are provided. Arrive with nothing but curiosity. Leave with a sketchbook full of work that is entirely, unmistakably yours.
Your Guide
Julia Henze
Brave Brushes Studio · Founder
Winsor & Newton partner — almost a decade
Skillshare educator — 10+ years, thousands of students
Urban Sketchers Netherlands collaborator
Guest instructor — Peggy Dean & David Drazil events
Brave Brushes online community — founder
Meet Julia
Art as a way of seeing the world
Julia Henze is a Dutch artist, illustrator and educator whose colourful, expressive work has reached artists in every corner of the world.
The founder of Brave Brushes Studio — an online learning community for urban sketchers and watercolour artists — Julia has spent more than a decade helping people discover that they are capable of far more than they think. Her teaching philosophy was shaped, in part, by being told as a child that she had no talent for art. She ignored the advice, attended art school, and built a career that now includes a partnership with Winsor & Newton and a following of thousands.
Her art is driven by the joy of observation: architecture, nature, the small details that give a place its character. Travel is her greatest fuel. "It doesn't have to be a trip to the other side of the world," she says. "Sometimes a bicycle ride to a nearby village is just as inspiring." Bright, expressive colour runs through everything she makes — she jokes that her paintings are happier than she is.
Colour first
Green is never just green. Julia teaches you to see and mix the full range of natural colour variation hiding in plain sight.
Simplify boldly
Complex scenes become manageable when you learn to find the basic shapes beneath them. Confidence follows clarity.
Anyone can draw
Talent is far less important than practice, curiosity and encouragement. Julia's mission is to prove this, every time.
"What surprised me most was how simple some of her suggestions were, yet how big an impact they had. Right after the workshop, I started combining what I had learned with my usual way of sketching, and the results were fantastic."
— Eveline Mos, Workshop
"The workshop was relaxed, well-structured, and filled with hands-on practice. Everyone received personal guidance. By the end, we all completed a piece using the techniques learned in class."
— Yue Yang, Workshop
"T"I started drawing in 2021 following YouTube tutorials, but my work still looked childish. Since joining Brave Brushes, I've learned so much more. I'm developing my own style and gaining confidence."
— Gerda Pool, Brave Brushes
"Two years ago, I set a goal: I want to find my own style. Now, after two years, I've found it. Looking back, joining Brave Brushes was the best artistic decision I ever made."
— Annemarie Slotboom, Brave Brushes
"She showed us that green is never just green. I now look at trees and greenery in a completely different way. Julia is a passionate artist and teacher who combines expertise with patience and encouragement."
— Gerlof van Driel, Workshop
"Drawing didn't only make me more confident creatively, but also in life in general. I feel happier, more spontaneous, and I'm very grateful to Julia and the supportive Brave Brushes community."
— Catherine Zabus-Baudart, Brave Brushes
THE SETTING
Manyoni Private Game Reserve spans 23,000 hectares of KwaZulu-Natal wilderness and is home to the Big Five, over 400 species of bird, and some of the most paintable landscapes in South Africa. It's remote enough to feel like another world. It's comfortable enough that you won't want to leave.
This is where Pathway Partners hosts all its artist retreats, chosen deliberately for its scale, its wildlife density, and the quality of light that artists keep coming back for.
Everything Taken Care Of
Your retreat, fully included
What's Included
- 6 nights at Zebra Hills Lodge, Manyoni Private Game Reserve
- All meals — breakfast, lunch, dinner — plus daily sundowners
- Twice-daily Big Five game drives with expert ranger
- All guided sketchbook and watercolour workshops with Julia Henze
- All art materials, sketchbooks, watercolours and brushes provided
- Airport transfers to and from Durban (King Shaka International)
- Elephant connection experience. Meet two elephants up close - Rachel & Rambo
- Zulu Cultural Performance
- Private en-suite accommodation (sole occupancy option available)
- Maximum 12 guests — genuinely intimate
Not Included
- International and domestic flights to Durban
- Travel insurance
- Personal purchases and gratuities
SECURE YOUR PLACE
Spaces are strictly limited to keep this experience intimate. To reserve your spot or ask a question before booking:
📧 info@pathwaypartners.co.za 📞 076 123 3493