About us

Photo by Alice Plati

Hi, I’m Angela!

It all started in my NYC studio apartment… with one big dinner table and some clay. 

I imagined a space that celebrates the vastness of human expression — creativity, thoughtful living, and the power of collective, connected dreaming. 

I rented a blank white loft by Penn Station in January of 2024.

I hired a team. We tried lots of things. We listened closely and learned so much. In September of 2024, we launched our very first Cohort Program. 

In May of 2025, we opened our second location in Williamsburg!

Today, we’re a vibrant, growing, passionate community of dreamers, doers, and makers. We believe in the power of creative expression and Drawing Room is our home base. 

Our Journey programs bring people together — from Cohort and Intensives to group projects and a student art gallery. Being a member means you have both of our beautiful locations to call home. You can wander the art and clay libraries, sink into a cozy nook with a friend (or a sketchbook), pull a game or book off the shelf, and help yourself to endless tea and coffee. We can’t wait to see you here.

Enroll in a Journey
Become a member

Meet the team

Young woman with long dark hair holding two small decorated plant pots, standing in front of a wooden shelf with colorful mugs and surrounded by green vines.
A young woman with long wavy hair taking a selfie outdoors during autumn, with colorful fall foliage and blue sky in the background.

Aubrey Aiese (EYE-AYE-SEE) (she/her)

Head of Ceramics, Ceramics Instructor

Kat Quach (she/her)

Head of Community Experience

A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair standing outdoors in a park with trees in the background, wearing a green zip-up jacket with striped accents and beige pants.
A woman with short, curly dark hair, wearing glasses and a septum piercing, smiling at the camera. She has a thin necklace and is dressed in a brown top, standing indoors against a light-colored background.

Ray Hwang (he/him)

Drawing, Painting, Bookmaking Instructor

A woman with curly black hair and glasses, wearing a green knit sweater, resting her chin on her hands and smiling softly.

Ivy Weinglass (she/her)

Ceramics Instructor

Young woman with curly hair standing outdoors in sunlight, leaning against a tree with branches and leaves, wearing a white top with shoulder cutouts.

Rachel Herron (she/her)

Writing Instructor

Zoe Wallace (she/her)

Host

Young woman with wavy, shoulder-length reddish-purple hair wearing glasses, a black t-shirt with a car graphic, a layered jacket, and blue jeans taking a mirror selfie indoors with a smartphone. She is giving a thumbs-up with her right hand and standing in front of a window with a view of buildings outside.
A smiling person wearing a beige cap and a black shirt, standing outdoors in front of green foliage.

Ayaka Takao (she/they)

Ceramics Instructor

Sterling Frierson (He/Him)

Host

A woman with dark hair, wearing a white embroidered top, standing in front of the Taj Mahal in India. The Taj Mahal is seen in the background with visitors walking around. The scene is framed by a tree and green bushes.
A young woman with dark curly hair and fair skin sitting in a restaurant. She is wearing a black polka dot jacket over a white top, with a silver heart-shaped necklace. The background features framed pictures, a brick wall, and a mirror with yellow attached notes.

Khamkay (come-kai) Inthavong (she/her)

Host

Antonella Jones (she/her)

Host

A woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a black outfit and a black leather jacket, smiling and standing in front of a display of colorful paintings of animals, including a dragon, gorilla, tiger, and elephant, at an art gallery.

Juliet Dakin (She/Her)

Host

A woman in a white shirt standing outdoors on a rooftop with brick buildings in the background, displaying three colorful paintings involving abstract and figurative elements, including one with a figure sitting and others with faces and text.
A woman with long black hair, wearing a sleeveless beige dress, holding a bag, standing next to a large clay pot with lush green tropical plants in the background.

Meiying Thai (she/her)

Head of Programming, Mixed Media Instructor

Angela Lee (she/her)

Founder

Angie Hewitt (she/her)

Printmaking Instructor

Adriana Gramly (she/her)

Fibers & Drawing Instructor

A young man wearing a brown cap, red headphones, and a gray shirt, sitting in front of an abstract, colorful background, making a peace sign near his forehead.
A woman with long brown hair, smiling, sitting against a textured beige wall, holding a ceramic mug, wearing a blue work shirt and paint-stained pants.
Join the team
Become a volunteer (Volunteer applications are currently closed)

FAQs

Have a question? Chances are we’ve answered it!

Check out our FAQs to learn more.

Read the FAQs
Two young women taking a selfie indoors at a gathering or party. One woman is wearing a hijab and striped shirt, smiling, and the other makes a kissy face with her eyes closed, dark hair, and long eyelashes.
Three young women with curly and braided hair taking a selfie at a table with art supplies, including paintbrushes, jars, and drawings.

Photos of you on the Drawing Room camera

Come by to take a photo on our no-screen camera and see it here!

See the photos
Two women standing indoors, smiling at the camera. The woman on the left is holding a small pillow and appears to have been crafting, while the woman on the right is holding a piece of artwork with colorful decorations. The background features a blackboard wall and various furniture and decor items.
Two women smiling and laughing at a nighttime indoor gathering, with one wearing a black dress with red roses and the other in a black dress with white polka dots, surrounded by warm lighting and decor, including plants and a bookshelf.

Drawing Room in the News

New York Live with Lauren Scala

Our founder Angela chats with Lauren Scala about Drawing Room, why we exist, and what we do here.

Please email info@nycdrawingroom.com with any questions or inquiries.