Art & Architecture   

• The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 

• ONLINE: A Zoom invitation link will be sent one day before class begins.

  The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is acclaimed especially for its collection of Dutch art, so Wendy Evans will focus on that, showing Rembrandt’s restored Nightwatch, Vermeer’s The Milkmaid and other masterpieces by artists such as Frans Hals, Jacob van Ruisdael, Jan Steen, and Judith Leyster, active during the Golden Age of Dutch Art. The collection includes over 8,000 art works from the Middle Ages to the present day, so Wendy will include a few works by artists such as Vincent van Gogh, from other periods. She will also explore some less-famous works, like the Petronella Oortman dollhouse, to give us ideas of what to look for on future visits. 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 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: 4/17/2026 - 4/17/2026

  Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: F

• Building: Online Course

  Room: Online via Zoom

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• Art Quilting: Telling Our Stories in Fabric 

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

  Have you ever marveled at art work that you thought was a painting and discovered it was made from fabric? This class will explore the beginnings of modern quilting and art quilting. Come be inspired by many examples of works by extraordinary textile artists, and hear about the journey of two Michigan art quilters. Bring an inspiring photograph to share the story you would want to capture if you made a fabric art quilt. Patti Devine is a quilter who loves making traditional pieced quilts and art quilts that capture memories of special people, pets and places. She enjoys teaching art quilting workshops including an annual art quilting retreat/workshop in Northern Michigan. Julie Zawacki is an art quilter who appreciates the space for wide open creative expression that art quilting opens.

  

  

   

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor(s): Patti Devine, Julie Zawacki

• Dates: 5/5/2026 - 5/5/2026

  Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: Tu

• Building: 2275 Platt Road

  Room: Classroom

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• The Science of Museum Conservation II 

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

  A conservation scientist applies materials science, analytical chemistry, and archaeology to study and preserve the full spectrum of museum collections. Our presenter, Dr. Christina Bisulca, will introduce us to the fields of Museum Conservation and Conservation Science, sharing examples from the course of her career – from stabilizing fragile Late Cretaceous dinosaur bone to assessing exhibition guidelines for post-Minimalist contemporary sculpture. These case studies will demonstrate how science is used in museums to preserve, repair, and understand diverse museum collections. Christina Bisulca is the Andrew W. Mellon Conservation Scientist at The Detroit Institute of Arts. She has worked in more than 10 museums over the last 25 years as both a Scientist and an Objects Conservator.

  

  

   

   

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor(s): Christina Bisulca

• Dates: 5/11/2026 - 5/11/2026

  Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: M

• Building: Online Course

  Room: Online via Zoom

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• Bus Trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum 

• OFFSITE TOUR: Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit

  Time: 8:15 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 $26 fee to cover the round-trip bus fare, DIA entrance fee, and the DIA docent tour fee. This will be added at checkout. 

  Please note there will be a fair amount of walking on this trip, and the cost of lunch is not included

  Join us for a docent led tour of the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). We will take the D2A2 bus from Blake Transit Center across from the Ann Arbor downtown public library, to Grand Circus Park in Detroit, then hop on the QLINE to the DIA near Wayne State University. After the tour we will have some time to roam on our own or shop in the gift store. We will meet in the DIA restaurant for a group lunch and then, depending on time available, we will head to either Campus Martius or the riverfront for a bit of sightseeing. The bus back to Ann Arbor leaves at 2:45 for an arrival back in Ann Arbor at 3:45 p.m. Joan Bulmer has been involved with Elderwise for 15 years, and is always looking for new adventures. In addition to her duties as Treasurer, she is on the Curriculum Program Team lining up speakers, and on the Tech Team assisting in the classroom. Joan teaches sewing classes, and now is leading her third Elderwise trip to Detroit. She is happy to report that no one has ever been left behind and all have had a good time! Please note there will be a fair amount of walking on this trip, and the cost of lunch is not included. Additional important information will be emailed to class registrants a few days before the tour.

  

  

  

   

   

   

• Fee: $20.00

• Instructor(s): Joan Bulmer

• Dates: 6/11/2026 - 6/11/2026

  Times: 8:15 AM - 3:45 PM

• Sessions: 1

  Days: Th

• Building: Offsite

  Room: Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, Detroit

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