I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. So full of marvels and marvelous moments. You did such a great job, using your understanding of Japan and its Art , to curate the perfect itinerary for us to include so many different ways of engaging with this enigmatic country. It was great to do some 'not to be missed' tourist destinations, of course, but those personal encounters with the dedicated Pottery Masters in their own homes were so special. So much exciting work to see and astonishing buildings to visit. And it was lovely to get out into the country and get a feel for that side of Japan too, apart from those vast cities. Loved every minute of it.

And thank you also for all your hard work and early morning ticket buying and in getting us seamlessly from one place to the next with the minimum of hassle for us. Just like magic! Liz

Very many thanks to you, Glen, for a really enjoyable trip.

Some things familiar, some obscure, some total surprises, some from left field, some wonderful behind-the-scenes, some street stuff, lots of opportunities, not too much regimentation, hundreds of memories, and lots of fun with good people.
Cheers
Julia

Thank you Glen for taking such good care of our group and for everything you did to make this trip such a fascinating and successful adventure.

You, Sue and Jennifer are wonderful ambassadors for New Zealand and the art world. You opened our eyes to so many many wonderful artists who were not on our radar before.

As you can tell from our voracious and excited shoppers, we are ALL, taking more than just fabulous memories home with us!!

REGARDS,
SANDY

Hello Glen, Sue and Maria Luz and our lovely Fellow Travellers ,

John and I extend our heartfelt appreciation to you all for a most wonderful, amazing, incredible art, sculpture, food, wine, cultural and historical experience which we will never forget. This was the best art tour ever. Every fabulous moment was followed by another and we were fully satiated, and every day we came back for more. The generosity of everyone we met and their kindness and friendliness were inspiring. Through our art experiences we learnt about the struggles and desperate times in Argentina and Brazil and appreciated the influences on their art giving a voice to the People, and understood our art a little better. We had a lot of laughter and fun together. Honestly I don’t think it could be repeated. It was special. All the guides were outstanding and we loved Arthur and Maria Luz and Adreane.

Thank you Glen and Sue, you really are a magic team.

Best wishes,

Leonie and John.

First of all – a huge thank you for a REALLY enjoyable trip – brief as it was…I loved every minute of it.

My enjoyment was mostly due entirely, to you Glen.  You were highly organised/informative and knowledgeable/ considerate and accommodating.  In summary, I consider you to be “As good as it gets!”  Your popularity is evident from several in the group, who have repeatedly travelled with you, and I now hope to do the same, given the appropriate opportunity.  I found the entire journey full of unexpected treats and surprises – such as the Tawhiti Museum/the two Patea crafts people and most of all, the Patiki church of St Paul’s with it’s magnificent fusion of Maori art and craft with Pakeha culture and religion…& loved Lisa, our hostess too!  In every instance, your arrangements and timing were perfect to the minute! Susan

Thank you so much for such an enjoyable, stimulating art tour.
There were many highlights.  We did such an interesting variety of art related activities.
I came home buzzing with new ideas for my art.
The accommodation was very good, the organised meals were great, all in all a most successful venture indeed. Thank you again Glen, you are an excellent art tour guide.
Warmest wishes, Helen

I just love y’all and adored the whole trip! Best yet!
Great group, great atmosphere, great accommodation, food and of course Margaritas!!
The two of you did a fantastic job, I know how much goes into this and I do the odd hour here and there not 12 days of constant, and constantly changing art information. Thank you both so much! Margaret

If you are an art lover, TAKE THIS TRIP!
We saw some of the world’s/ best, most interesting contemporary art. As much of it was in remote, hard to access locations, it was a real gift to have all the logistics taken care of.
Travelling with a small group of art enthusiasts really amplified the experience and Glen was a fabulous guide; fun, accommodating, well-organized and unflappable.
I highly recommend this tour. Taking it will go down as one of the best decisions I have ever made. Marilee

Hi Glen, a very big thank you to you as well.It was a wonderful trip. The art ,museums, architecture were were superb. Couldn’t have asked for more.The Islands were fantastic quite magical. I would recommend this trip to anyone interested in Art, it was a wonderful experience. Extremely well organised and researched. We were so lucky to see such amazing art and architecture.! Plus the accomodation was very good.
Thanks again for all your hard work.
Best wishes. Jill

Glen makes his art tours a unique experience. They are well organised and researched with an amazing variety of fascinating places, art and architecture for us to see. Plus he is great company! cheers Pat

Dear Glen and Sue

A big thank you from me for a fabulous and unique  trip which I will be savouring and reflecting on for many moons. So much variety.  I loved every minute of it and can’t think of anything which would have improved the experiences except. The organisation worked so well Glen, including the almost perfect weather and your art comments enhanced and informed our viewing Sue. It was a pleasure too to see New Zealanders featuring and in person in the Big Apple and a rare treat to visit Julian Robertson’s apartment as well as being able to visit the homes of the fabulous collecting couples. I now know what a real collector is! Elizabeth

I would just like to thank you again for arranging and guiding such a wonderful tour in Japan. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and do feel very privileged to have seen so many beautiful works of art. Your expertise and professionalism is superb. Bev

So many memories to treasure of a wonderfully interesting and stimulating tour, both extremely well organised and impeccably researched Glen and Sue cheerfully led us at a good pace on a well-informed and highly stimulating balance of visits to carefully selected art and other destinations
We went off to Japan with high expectations and excitement levels and this tour delivered well beyond them. Sally

The team of Sue Gardiner and Glen Armstrong delivered the maximum amount anyone could reasonably expect with their recent art tour to the Sydney Biennale. They worked out just the right amount of time needed at each of numerous venues, the right balance of big and small spaces, personal and impersonal experiences. They had done their homework, and it showed. I would recommend this duo to anyone interested in a serious overseas art experience. Warwick

I was so impressed with you and Sue and the tour in general. So well organised and very stimulating.  Each part was a new adventure. I can’t wait to come on another one. Thanks so much and please pass that on to Sue. She is soooooo knowledgeable but also totally charming with it!

Best Regards Rosemarie

Dear Glen,  thank you so much for such a wonderful expedition. The whole trip exceeded my expectations.  However after our Sydney trip to the Biennale 2 years ago, I should have realised it would be extraordinary. We saw so many things that the general public don’t usually see and met so many people that were out of the usual realm in the artist world, it was most satisfying indeed.

Also Glen you were an excellent host, so patient, light hearted and considerate.  We all appreciated your care immensely.  Thank you. (You are an excellent driver too.) Of course we had the company of Sue for part of the trip and that was a special bonus. You need to pat yourself on the back Glen.  Well done.

Yours sincerely Helen

Many thanks Glen for a varied and wonderful ART tour. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. Lots of stimulating, informative discussion with knowledgeable people as well as enough free time- out. All round a GREAT success, regards Jan

I had an amazing time. It was full on, thought provoking, stimulating, funny, and a great experience.

Sue is very generous with her knowledge and her contacts. It was so lovely to be welcomed into her friends’ homes and share their knowledge and experiences also. Thank you too, for great organisation, and for being unfailingly thoughtful and friendly. Mary

A fabulous mix of collections and collectors, and a great insight into the Brisbane gallery scene as well as the governmental support for artists in Canberra. The architectural insights of David and the company of Sabrina on the bus were a great bonus! Linda

Hi Glen,
Well that was a very good long weekend and I really enjoyed the variety of experiences we had – the organic wines, the visit to the Whale Rider marae, the galleries, and the wonderful hospitality of your parents.
Many thanks for putting together such an interesting few days and I am looking forward to your plans for more regional trips around New Zealand.

Regards, Mary

Just wanted to write and express our gratitude for the fantastic trip – we have much to reflect upon and we are certainly much more knowledgeable about Spanish art and pintxos!
We also enjoyed and appreciated your thoughtfulness on the trip – shouting us a beer or two – and how you kept an eye on everyone. The itinerary for the trip was well thought out and worked very well. I would (and have been) recommend this trip to everyone. We also enjoyed and appreciated Marys many contributions which enlightened us as to what was really being seen.
Very best wishes to you and again many thanks, Lauren and Peter

Hi Glen and Sue I would like to thank you and Sue for making our trip so memorable. It was a great experience and you made it all so easy for us. I had a great time and I’m sure everyone else did as well. It was a pleasure to travel with such a great group of fun loving people.

Hi Glen and Sue
Just want to thank you very much for organizing such a wonderful trip. I was expecting something special but I got even more than I expected. Sue is a wonderful tour guide – so happy to share all her very extensive knowledge. It was also a very good bunch of people and just the right size.

Hi Glen and Sue, I hope that you have both caught up with sleep, and work. Thank-you for taking up my idea and running with it. It was a great trip, far exceeding my expectations in so many ways. Sue I really appreciate all the background work that you have put into this trip, and Glen I appreciate greatly the huge effort you go to, to make everything run so smoothly. The highlights for me…The dinner party by Judy Chicago, and the work on the ground floor at the New Museum in the Bowery where the artist has sown pieces of paper from the falling twin towers, on to the large cotton sheet. Another big notch on the belt guys!!!!

i Glen
Just to say thank you for organising another great trouble-free trip.
Just the right mix
Art for Arts sake
Art for Pleasures sake
and Pleasure for all of our sakes
Mary and you are a fantastic team can hardly wait till next time
In anticipation Freda

Hi Glen
What a fabulous 4 days! I am still bathing in the afterglow of it all as I unpack, and catch up etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. The exhibitions were absolutely wonderful, Mary’s knowledge and input was excellent. The Canberra tour very informative, interesting and quite touching, Poachers Pantry Café charming with very yummy food and wine. What a great group of women and such an accomplished team leader.

Thank you very much Glen it has been wonderful being part of your Art Tour, I look forward to joining another in the future.
Warmest regards Geraldine

Hi Glen and Sue
Thank-you for a great trip…instructive, invigorating, well organized, and great fun. Apart from the Art, I particularly enjoyed the little social touches such as Cumulus breakfasts, “cookie” thai, and Madame Brussels
Cheers, Anne

Hi everyone,
Thank you Sue and Glen for the generous amount of time you spent with us, I am sure some of it was beyond the call of duty. I feel like I learned so much and saw such an amazing range of art. It was nice for us to meet some of the artists too, thanks to Sue’s contacts. I really enjoyed meeting all of you, it was a really stimulating environment. Auckland seems very small!
Kind Regards, Jane

Hi Sue and Glen,
I’m really sorry I missed you at the end of out trip – but I just wanted to say a big thank you for a truly fantastic experience.
Sue your depth of knowledge is incredible (and inspiring), you have a wonderful way of sharing information and personally I never tire listening to your perceptive and insightful explanations.
I know I speak for all the girls from Venus to say that we felt very privileged to meet and see the collections of Lisa Paulsen, Dick Quan and Reg Richardson. For us it the whole biennale trip has been a truly eye and mind opening experience. There is a great level of excitement and passion that as reinvigorated our group to continue to grow and learn and collect more art!

Glen, as an organiser myself I just want to pass on what a fantastic job you did – with your calm, relaxed but efficient manner you had us completely under your spell. It’s no small feat herding the Venus girls around!!
You really have struck a winning formula and I look forward to joining your trips in the future!
Once again, many thanks.
Kindest regards, Sarah

I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. So full of marvels and marvelous moments. You did such a great job, using your understanding of Japan and its Art , to curate the perfect itinerary for us to include so many different ways of engaging with this enigmatic country. It was great to do some 'not to be missed' tourist destinations, ofcourse, but those personal encounters with the dedicated Pottery Masters in their own homes were so special. So much exciting work to see and astonishing buildings to visit. And it was lovely to get out into the country and get a feel for that side of Japan too, apart from those vast cities. Loved every minute of it.

And thank you also for all your hard work and early morning ticket buying and in getting us seamlessly from one place to the next with the minimum of hassle for us. Just like magic!

Very many thanks to you, Glen, for a really enjoyable trip.

Some things familiar, some obscure, some total surprises, some from left field, some wonderful behind-the-scenes, some street stuff, lots of opportunities, not too much regimentation, hundreds of memories, and lots of fun with good people.
Cheers
Julia

Thank you Glen for taking such good care of our group and for everything you did to make this trip such a fascinating and successful adventure.

You, Sue and Jennifer are wonderful ambassadors for New Zealand and the art world. You opened our eyes to so many many wonderful artists who were not on our radar before.

As you can tell from our voracious and excited shoppers, we are ALL, taking more than just fabulous memories home with us!!

REGARDS,
SANDY

Hello Glen, Sue and Maria Luz and our lovely Fellow Travellers ,

John and I extend our heartfelt appreciation to you all for a most wonderful, amazing, incredible art, sculpture, food, wine, cultural and historical experience which we will never forget. This was the best art tour ever. Every fabulous moment was followed by another and we were fully satiated, and every day we came back for more. The generosity of everyone we met and their kindness and friendliness were inspiring. Through our art experiences we learnt about the struggles and desperate times in Argentina and Brazil and appreciated the influences on their art giving a voice to the People, and understood our art a little better. We had a lot of laughter and fun together. Honestly I don’t think it could be repeated. It was special. All the guides were outstanding and we loved Arthur and Maria Luz and Adreane.

Thank you Glen and Sue, you really are a magic team.

Best wishes,

Leonie and John.

First of all – a huge thank you for a REALLY enjoyable trip – brief as it was…I loved every minute of it.

My enjoyment was mostly due entirely, to you Glen.  You were highly organised/informative and knowledgeable/ considerate and accommodating.  In summary, I consider you to be “As good as it gets!”  Your popularity is evident from several in the group, who have repeatedly travelled with you, and I now hope to do the same, given the appropriate opportunity.  I found the entire journey full of unexpected treats and surprises – such as the Tawhiti Museum/the two Patea crafts people and most of all, the Patiki church of St Paul’s with it’s magnificent fusion of Maori art and craft with Pakeha culture and religion…& loved Lisa, our hostess too!  In every instance, your arrangements and timing were perfect to the minute! Susan

Thank you so much for such an enjoyable, stimulating art tour.
There were many highlights.  We did such an interesting variety of art related activities.
I came home buzzing with new ideas for my art.
The accommodation was very good, the organised meals were great, all in all a most successful venture indeed. Thank you again Glen, you are an excellent art tour guide.
Warmest wishes, Helen

I just love y’all and adored the whole trip! Best yet!
Great group, great atmosphere, great accommodation, food and of course Margaritas!!
The two of you did a fantastic job, I know how much goes into this and I do the odd hour here and there not 12 days of constant, and constantly changing art information. Thank you both so much! Margaret

If you are an art lover, TAKE THIS TRIP!
We saw some of the world’s/ best, most interesting contemporary art. As much of it was in remote, hard to access locations, it was a real gift to have all the logistics taken care of.
Travelling with a small group of art enthusiasts really amplified the experience and Glen was a fabulous guide; fun, accommodating, well-organized and unflappable.
I highly recommend this tour. Taking it will go down as one of the best decisions I have ever made. Marilee

Hi Glen, a very big thank you to you as well.It was a wonderful trip. The art ,museums, architecture were were superb. Couldn’t have asked for more.The Islands were fantastic quite magical. I would recommend this trip to anyone interested in Art, it was a wonderful experience. Extremely well organised and researched. We were so lucky to see such amazing art and architecture.! Plus the accomodation was very good.
Thanks again for all your hard work.
Best wishes. Jill

Glen makes his art tours a unique experience. They are well organised and researched with an amazing variety of fascinating places, art and architecture for us to see. Plus he is great company! cheers Pat

Dear Glen and Sue

A big thank you from me for a fabulous and unique  trip which I will be savouring and reflecting on for many moons. So much variety.  I loved every minute of it and can’t think of anything which would have improved the experiences except. The organisation worked so well Glen, including the almost perfect weather and your art comments enhanced and informed our viewing Sue. It was a pleasure too to see New Zealanders featuring and in person in the Big Apple and a rare treat to visit Julian Robertson’s apartment as well as being able to visit the homes of the fabulous collecting couples. I now know what a real collector is! Elizabeth

I would just like to thank you again for arranging and guiding such a wonderful tour in Japan. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and do feel very privileged to have seen so many beautiful works of art. Your expertise and professionalism is superb. Bev

So many memories to treasure of a wonderfully interesting and stimulating tour, both extremely well organised and impeccably researched Glen and Sue cheerfully led us at a good pace on a well-informed and highly stimulating balance of visits to carefully selected art and other destinations
We went off to Japan with high expectations and excitement levels and this tour delivered well beyond them. Sally

The team of Sue Gardiner and Glen Armstrong delivered the maximum amount anyone could reasonably expect with their recent art tour to the Sydney Biennale. They worked out just the right amount of time needed at each of numerous venues, the right balance of big and small spaces, personal and impersonal experiences. They had done their homework, and it showed. I would recommend this duo to anyone interested in a serious overseas art experience. Warwick

I was so impressed with you and Sue and the tour in general. So well organised and very stimulating.  Each part was a new adventure. I can’t wait to come on another one. Thanks so much and please pass that on to Sue. She is soooooo knowledgeable but also totally charming with it!

Best Regards Rosemarie

Dear Glen,  thank you so much for such a wonderful expedition. The whole trip exceeded my expectations.  However after our Sydney trip to the Biennale 2 years ago, I should have realised it would be extraordinary. We saw so many things that the general public don’t usually see and met so many people that were out of the usual realm in the artist world, it was most satisfying indeed.

Also Glen you were an excellent host, so patient, light hearted and considerate.  We all appreciated your care immensely.  Thank you. (You are an excellent driver too.) Of course we had the company of Sue for part of the trip and that was a special bonus. You need to pat yourself on the back Glen.  Well done.

Yours sincerely Helen

Many thanks Glen for a varied and wonderful ART tour. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. Lots of stimulating, informative discussion with knowledgeable people as well as enough free time- out. All round a GREAT success, regards Jan

I had an amazing time. It was full on, thought provoking, stimulating, funny, and a great experience.

Sue is very generous with her knowledge and her contacts. It was so lovely to be welcomed into her friends’ homes and share their knowledge and experiences also. Thank you too, for great organisation, and for being unfailingly thoughtful and friendly. Mary

A fabulous mix of collections and collectors, and a great insight into the Brisbane gallery scene as well as the governmental support for artists in Canberra. The architectural insights of David and the company of Sabrina on the bus were a great bonus! Linda

Hi Glen,
Well that was a very good long weekend and I really enjoyed the variety of experiences we had – the organic wines, the visit to the Whale Rider marae, the galleries, and the wonderful hospitality of your parents.
Many thanks for putting together such an interesting few days and I am looking forward to your plans for more regional trips around New Zealand.

Regards, Mary

Just wanted to write and express our gratitude for the fantastic trip – we have much to reflect upon and we are certainly much more knowledgeable about Spanish art and pintxos!
We also enjoyed and appreciated your thoughtfulness on the trip – shouting us a beer or two – and how you kept an eye on everyone. The itinerary for the trip was well thought out and worked very well. I would (and have been) recommend this trip to everyone. We also enjoyed and appreciated Marys many contributions which enlightened us as to what was really being seen.
Very best wishes to you and again many thanks, Lauren and Peter

Hi Glen and Sue I would like to thank you and Sue for making our trip so memorable. It was a great experience and you made it all so easy for us. I had a great time and I’m sure everyone else did as well. It was a pleasure to travel with such a great group of fun loving people.

Hi Glen and Sue
Just want to thank you very much for organizing such a wonderful trip. I was expecting something special but I got even more than I expected. Sue is a wonderful tour guide – so happy to share all her very extensive knowledge. It was also a very good bunch of people and just the right size.

Hi Glen and Sue, I hope that you have both caught up with sleep, and work. Thank-you for taking up my idea and running with it. It was a great trip, far exceeding my expectations in so many ways. Sue I really appreciate all the background work that you have put into this trip, and Glen I appreciate greatly the huge effort you go to, to make everything run so smoothly. The highlights for me…The dinner party by Judy Chicago, and the work on the ground floor at the New Museum in the Bowery where the artist has sown pieces of paper from the falling twin towers, on to the large cotton sheet. Another big notch on the belt guys!!!!

i Glen
Just to say thank you for organising another great trouble-free trip.
Just the right mix
Art for Arts sake
Art for Pleasures sake
and Pleasure for all of our sakes
Mary and you are a fantastic team can hardly wait till next time
In anticipation Freda

Hi Glen
What a fabulous 4 days! I am still bathing in the afterglow of it all as I unpack, and catch up etc.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whole trip. The exhibitions were absolutely wonderful, Mary’s knowledge and input was excellent. The Canberra tour very informative, interesting and quite touching, Poachers Pantry Café charming with very yummy food and wine. What a great group of women and such an accomplished team leader.

Thank you very much Glen it has been wonderful being part of your Art Tour, I look forward to joining another in the future.
Warmest regards Geraldine

Hi Glen and Sue
Thank-you for a great trip…instructive, invigorating, well organized, and great fun. Apart from the Art, I particularly enjoyed the little social touches such as Cumulus breakfasts, “cookie” thai, and Madame Brussels
Cheers, Anne

Hi everyone,
Thank you Sue and Glen for the generous amount of time you spent with us, I am sure some of it was beyond the call of duty. I feel like I learned so much and saw such an amazing range of art. It was nice for us to meet some of the artists too, thanks to Sue’s contacts. I really enjoyed meeting all of you, it was a really stimulating environment. Auckland seems very small!
Kind Regards, Jane

Hi Sue and Glen,
I’m really sorry I missed you at the end of out trip – but I just wanted to say a big thank you for a truly fantastic experience.
Sue your depth of knowledge is incredible (and inspiring), you have a wonderful way of sharing information and personally I never tire listening to your perceptive and insightful explanations.
I know I speak for all the girls from Venus to say that we felt very privileged to meet and see the collections of Lisa Paulsen, Dick Quan and Reg Richardson. For us it the whole biennale trip has been a truly eye and mind opening experience. There is a great level of excitement and passion that as reinvigorated our group to continue to grow and learn and collect more art!

Glen, as an organiser myself I just want to pass on what a fantastic job you did – with your calm, relaxed but efficient manner you had us completely under your spell. It’s no small feat herding the Venus girls around!!
You really have struck a winning formula and I look forward to joining your trips in the future!
Once again, many thanks.
Kindest regards, Sarah