Art & Architecture   

• One Extraordinary Mind: Leonardo da Vinci  

• IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road

  Leonardo da Vinci wasn’t just a painter from 500 years ago; he was a visionary whose ideas spanned aviation, engineering, art, anatomy, architecture, and design, and whose influence still surrounds us today. In this engaging presentation, we explore how Leonardo’s extraordinary powers of observation, captured in notebooks he wrote in reverse, revealed principles of flight centuries before they could be tested. But Leonardo’s genius extended far beyond flight. In art, he transformed how we see the world, perfecting perspective, pioneering the use of light and shadow (sfumato), and creating masterpieces like the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, where human emotion, natural landscapes, and scientific observation converge. Through powerful visuals and compelling comparisons, we connect Leonardo’s living legacy to the innovators who followed, and to the technologies we rely on today. Along the way, we uncover the remarkable journey of his notebooks: scattered, lost, rediscovered, and ultimately preserved as the codices that continue to inspire the modern world. Join us to discover how Leonardo isn’t just part of history – he is still shaping how we think, create, and soar. Once you see the world through his eyes, you may never look at everyday things the same way again. Wendy Zielen, originally from upstate New York, became a lifelong Michigander after meeting her husband at the University of Michigan. As Executive and Development Director of Bendix Academy, a nonprofit in Brighton, Michigan, she fosters mentorship through hands-on toolmanship education. Deeply committed to historical preservation and youth advocacy, Wendy draws inspiration from the “can-do” spirit of WWII. Her passion for history grew while retracing her Doughboy grandfather’s footsteps across France, and she continues to honor the legacy of America’s heroes by working to help empower future generations.

  

  

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor(s): Wendy Zielen

• Dates: 10/8/2026 - 10/8/2026

  Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: Th

• Building: 2275 Platt Road

  Room: Classroom

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• Bus Trip to the Guardian Building in Detroit

• This class has reached the enrollment limit.  Please click the "Add to Waitlist" button below.

• OFFSITE: Guardian Building, 500 Griswold Street, Detroit

  Time: 9:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

  Enrollment: This tour is limited to 15 attendees. A waitlist will be available.

  Please let the Elderwise office know if, after registering, you are unable to attend this tour.
  This gives students on the waitlist an opportunity to join. It also helps the onsite class assistant have an accurate roster.

  Fee: Member $10   Nonmember $20, plus an extra $30 fee to cover the roundtrip bus fare and Guardian tour. This will be added at checkout. 
  The cost of lunch is not included.

  With the frequent D2A2 bus schedule, a trip to Detroit is now easy. So, let’s go to Detroit and tour the Guardian Building, considered to be the most beautiful building in Detroit. It is one of only five local attractions to receive the coveted Michelin 3-Star recommended site. Known as the “Cathedral of Finance,” this building is an architectural treasure. On the tour, learn the building’s rich history and get an up-close appreciation of the architectural magnificence showcased in every minute detail. Best of all, we will enjoy exclusive access as we visit several spaces off-limits to the public, including hidden bank vaults complete with stories of the gold they once held. Our tour of the building starts at 11:00 a.m., so we will meet at Blake transit center in Ann Arbor at 9:15 a.m., take the 9:30 a.m. D2A2 bus to Detroit, and the QLine down Woodward to the Guardian. After the tour we will have lunch. The cost of lunch is not included in the class fee, please bring money/credit card to pay for your lunch. Thanks! Then we will go to Hart Plaza if there is time, or back to the bus stop. We will arrive back in Ann Arbor at 3:45 p.m. Joan Bulmer has led several trips to Detroit on the public bus and has thoroughly enjoyed them all. She is a long-term member of Elderwise Learning and is involved with the Tech Team, the Curriculum team, and was Treasurer for the past 10 years. She teaches an occasional sewing class, but the bus trips to Detroit are her very favorite. Additional important information will be emailed to registrants a few days before the tour. IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be a fair amount of walking on this trip, including stairs. Visiting the former vault area requires approximately 25 steps, and there is no elevator access to that portion of the tour. This tour is not recommended for people with canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and those who have mobility limitations.

  

  

   

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor: Joan Bulmer

  Capacity Remaining: -9

• Dates: 10/19/2026 - 10/19/2026

  Times: 9:15 AM - 3:45 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: M

• Building: Offsite

  Room: Guardian Building, Detroit

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• Cemetery Art and History 

• IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom, 2275 Platt Road

  From the Greek words “taphos” (tomb) and “philia”(love), a taphophile is a person with a strong interest in cemeteries and graves, and the history and art associated with them rather than a morbid fascination with death. Taphophiles might visit cemeteries to appreciate their historical significance, document gravestone art, research personal genealogy, visit the grave of a well-known citizen, or find solace and reassurance in the belief of an afterlife. Many cemeteries are also places for the living. Because of their many plants and animals, some cemeteries are also designated as arboretums. First introduced as “garden cemeteries” in the 19th century, these burial places were a welcome respite from the crowded and polluted cities of the Industrial Revolution, and a way to enjoy the quiet beauty and health benefits of nature. Kathy has visited most of the cemeteries in her presentation, but a few are still on her bucket list. Join us, and you may discover that you too are a taphophile and might include a cemetery as part of your next travel itinerary! Kathy Gunderson is a retired Art and Humanities teacher with an educational background in Art and History. Since shortly after her retirement, Kathy has continued her love of learning about art and its history by giving art presentations in the Ann Abor and Chelsea areas and, especially, sharing that love with those who previously have had little background in the arts. In addition to her art presentations, Kathy has been a docent at the University of Michigan’s Kelsey Museum of Archaeology for almost ten years. She also enjoys travel, gardens, and visiting museums of any kind. 

  

  

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor(s): Kathy Gunderson

• Dates: 10/20/2026 - 10/20/2026

  Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: Tu

• Building: 2275 Platt Road

  Room: Classroom

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• Frank Gehry's Architecture: Big Dreams and Big Fish 

• ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent the Friday before class begins.

  His father thought Frank Gehry (1928-2025), a Canadian and American architect and designer, was just a dreamer who would never amount to anything. It took until age 68 for him to rocket to fame with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. We will trace Gehry’s story, fish and all. Besides Bilbao, his works include the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and many other structures. Gehry was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Wendy Evans was raised among the museums of London, England, and holds advanced degrees from Oxford University and Wayne State. She taught art history at Wayne State University and is a long-time docent volunteer at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Wendy loves to share her passion for art with groups like Elderwise. More information is available at www.art-talks.org.

  

  

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor(s): Wendy Evans

• Dates: 11/2/2026 - 11/2/2026

  Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: M

• Building: Online Course

  Room: Online via Zoom

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