Art and Literature   

This beginner level course will cover painting various subjects and themes in acrylics such as still life, landscape, floral, seascape, and many more. Students will learn skills such as loose brushstrokes, underpainting, layering, composition basics and mixing a strong color palette - all skills which they will be able to add to their own painting practice. Students will also learn to understand color values and temperature and to create depth and dimension in their acrylic paintings. Lessons on color mixing, compositional fundamentals and brush techniques will be covered.

Take a journey through the early modern period in architectural history - from the monumental stature of neo-classical manors to the fantastical sculptures of art nouveau gardens. This course explores how architecture changed over centuries, shaped by shifting cultures, philosophies, and artistic ideals. Along the way, you'll look at key buildings that define each era, get to know the ideas behind their appearances, and draw connections between structures that were built worlds apart.

By the end of the course, you'll have a solid understanding of the cultural backgrounds, informing major architectural movements, be able to identify significant buildings and their symbolic features, and recognize how architecture from different times and places connected in surprising ways. No background in architecture is needed - just curiosity and an appreciation for the built world.

This course introduces students to basic photographic principles and the use of cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment. There will also be a brief overview of the history of photography and the development of cameras and lenses over the last century. To better understand how cameras turn light into images there will be simple explanations and comparisons of how film cameras and digital cameras work.

Discussions will include basic composition concepts to enhance images. The course will conclude with information on image file handle and simple image manipulation with basic photo editing tools. Students will also have an opportunity to participate in a fun weekly photo assignment involving shooting a common theme and critiquing the results.

Did you know that when you are completely immersed in your current action, you are meditating? Creating art is an example of an activity that teaches you how to focus on, and live in, the moment. Join us to experience the joy of creating amazing art with the humble but versatile medium of colored pencils. Learn simple tips, tricks and techniques for creating rich and vibrant artwork, which can be applied to all subjects including florals, still-life, landscapes, portraits, abstracts and more. No drawing experience or expertise necessary. Instruction will be tailored to suit each individual's skill level.

In this course, participants will read and discuss 40 recently published short stories that demonstrate how much can be accomplished in 1,000 words or fewer. These works, often described as flash fiction, explore life in all its complexity - its ambiguities, contradictions, and unexpected turns - through language that is precise and intentional. Because of their extreme brevity, such stories require exceptional discipline from their writers, with every word carrying weight. As participants engage with these texts, they will develop an appreciation for flash fiction as a distinct literary form, learn to recognize how skilled writers achieve depth and meaning without excess, and gain insight into what distinguishes the strongest short stories from those that feel like condensed novels. All readings for the course are freely available online.

Painting Seasonal Blooms is a watercolor painting course inspired by the favorite blooms of each season, offering a perfect way to appreciate the beauty of change and color in nature. With step-by-step instructions and lots of drawing exercises, you'll learn to draw and paint from your reference (image or a real flower). This course will also explore the basics of watercolor painting, starting with the types of materials and tools that you can use, and moving on to techniques in handling the medium. You'll learn about value, basic composition, color mixing, blending, and the mechanics of watercolor. Approaches such as wet-in-wet and working in layers will be introduced. With demonstrations and ongoing individual guidance, you'll develop your own artwork at your own pace. By the end of the course, you'll gain a solid foundation in watercolor and feel comfortable to pursue your passion for watercolor!

Your camera and your knowledge of how to use it certainly matter when it comes to making memorable photographs. But your knowledge of the principles of composition and when to apply them - and when not to! - matter even more. Explore the key principles one by one with weekly assignments practicing each to share for feedback the following week. Meet the challenge to practice each principle in turn. For all skill levels using any camera, smart phone to mirrorless. All you need is a passion for photography and a wish to make photographs your friends and family will admire.

Readers Theater is a simple style of performance – no scenery, no costumes, and no memorizing! It's all performed with the pages right in front of you. This puts the focus on the playwright's words and ideas. We'll analyze the text in a handful of short plays, and then bring them to life in a supportive, laughter-filled class. The middle sessions are rehearsals where we use pacing and expression to create characters and "lean into" the stories.

Along the way you’ll build confidence, cameraderie with fellow participants, and experience the joy of performance in a low-pressure environment. The final class session is an informal presentation of the work we've done. No previous acting experience is required; just an open mind and a willingness to play!

Moby-Dick is frequently mentioned as a leading candidate for that elusive honorific, the Great American Novel. Unfortunately, it also has developed something of a reputation as a difficult book due to Melville's stylistic peculiarities and its immense scope. That's a shame, because there is so much to enjoy here: the tragedy of Ahab's obsession, the beauty of Melville's description of life at sea, and a surprising amount of humor.

Our goal in this course will be to uncover these pleasures. We will take it slowly, stop to appreciate the language, unpack the historical references and contexts, and most importantly of all, share our favorite Melvillian jokes with each other.

Instrumental tracks played a vital role in shaping the sound of rock and roll throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Join this class as it takes you on a musical journey through this dynamic era, spotlighting the artists and groups who kept the instrumental flame burning even as vocal acts rose to prominence. From sweeping orchestras to tight-knit combos and standout solo performers, we will explore the wide range of styles and sounds that made instrumental rock a lasting and influential force in popular music.

What was the first rock 'n' roll record? Take a fascinating, informative, and entertaining journey with a former Bay Area broadcaster as we explore the roots of rock. Along the way, we'll discover the influence of radio DJs who helped introduce rock 'n' roll to mainstream America. You'll hear great music, see rare film and video clips, and examine the legacies of the pioneers who made lasting contributions to this popular genre. We'll play 50s rock trivia, hear rare songs, and explore how this music shaped American culture in its early days. So, what was that first rock song? Was it from the 1950s, the '40s, or even earlier? You may be surprised!

Join us for a dynamic musical journey into the roots of one of rock and roll's earliest and most electrifying styles - rockabilly. Discover how this groundbreaking sound emerged from the raw energy of country and rhythm and blues, evolving into a powerful force that helped shape the national music scene. Along the way, we'll spotlight the trailblazing artists who brought it to life - Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, and many more. With rare studio outtakes, unforgettable tracks, and behind-the-scenes stories, this is a deep dive into the heart and history of early rock and roll.

Join us on a lighthearted but informative musical journey to find the answer to not only who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp, but who put the ram in the ram a lam a ding dong. Through rare photos, film and audio clips, we see and hear how early close vocal group harmonizing developed into an art form that became part of mainstream rock 'n' roll during the 1950s and 1960s. Along with your favorites, you'll hear rare studio outtakes and alternate recordings that will demonstrate how this exciting and enjoyable musical style came into being and flourished during those years.

Step into the world of storytelling with a journey through 100 years of short fiction published in The New Yorker. In this course, students will read and discuss 32 unforgettable short stories – works that have shaped literary history and captured the imagination of generations. Together, we'll explore how short fiction has evolved over the past century, noticing shifts in style, themes and voices. Each story will open a window into the emotional and social issues of its time, from questions of identity and family to broader concerns of culture, politics and human connection.

This is a chance to experience the art of the short story at its very best, while engaging in lively conversations about what makes these works timeless, surprising and powerful. Whether you are a lifelong reader or new to short fiction, this course offers both a celebration of the form and an opportunity to see how stories help us understand ourselves and the world around us.

Take a journey through some of the most fascinating periods in architectural history—from the material power of medieval abbeys to the ornamental language of rococo churches. This course explores how architecture changed over centuries, shaped by shifting cultures, philosophies, and artistic ideals. Along the way, you'll look at key buildings that defined each era, get to know the ideas behind their appearances, and draw connections between structures that were built worlds apart.

By the end of the course, you'll have a solid understanding of the cultural backgrounds informing major architectural movements, be able to identify significant buildings and their symbolic features, and recognize how architecture from different times and places connected in surprising ways. No background in architecture is needed—just curiosity and an appreciation for the built world.

The beauty and distinctiveness of ancient Egyptian art and architecture are among this great civilization's most lasting legacies. Join us as we explore the iconography, style, materials and techniques of their architecture, works of art, and jewelry within the broader context of their cultural significance over the 4,000 years of ancient Egyptian society.

For many, the world of black and white photography is another world. The rarified world of masters like Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Dorothea Lange and Imogen Cunningham. A time past, a time of film, not digital capture. Yes, another world, but not one out of reach for any photographer using any camera. Come explore the potential of black and white for your own photography. Gain inspiration by discussing the work of different masters in each class. Photograph weekly assignments in color, converting to black and white, and posting on Flickr.com for feedback. This class is hybrid, meeting on Zoom with two sessions in person on location for a photography shoot. For all skill levels using phones to mirrorless cameras.

Did you know that when you are completely immersed in your current action, you are meditating? Creating art is an example of an activity that teaches you how to focus on, and live in, the moment. Join us to experience the joy of creating amazing art with the humble but versatile medium of colored pencils. Learn simple tips, tricks and techniques for creating rich and vibrant artwork, which can be applied to all subjects including florals, still-life, landscapes, portraits, abstracts and more. No drawing experience or expertise necessary. Instruction will be tailored to suit each individual's skill level.