Arts & Humanities   

If you were inspired by Amanda Gorman at the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, attend this class to find out more. Learn about the 22-year-old woman from Los Angeles who was named National Youth Poet Laureate.

Maine author Mary Lou Bagley – seasoned actress and teacher – is known for her engaging reading style. With an ear for dialogue, strong characterizations, and exquisite details, her novel, “Other Wise,” delivered a story worth savoring that leaves readers wanting more. Now book two, “This Other Way of Knowing,” continues the series. “Other Wise” introduces 62-year-old Margaret Meader – a native Mainer and an outsider. Though not “from away,” many in her community deem Margaret an oddity – an other. Plain spoken and direct, she is gifted with second sight. As Margaret supports friends and neighbors, some old business is coming back around, setting the stage for confrontations rooted in tragedies of the past. Margaret’s story continues in “This Other Way of Knowing.” This one-session reading and discussion of the writing process uses both novels as springboards for a lively Q&A. Participants will be encouraged not only to fill up on story during the program but also to bring their own stories to the page. They will leave ready to apply Bagley's (borrowed) writing rule number one: put the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair and begin. “Other Wise” is not required reading, but is available for purchase (ISBN# 978-1718065208).

In “Emma,” Jane Austen has given us a self-satisfied young woman who is determined to improve the lives of others according to her own lights. A comeuppance is inevitable. Emma’s long journey to self-awareness is the subject of this classic novel. It is a journey that is difficult for Emma, but deliciously pleasurable for Austen’s readers. During our three weeks together, through a careful reading of Austen’s novel, we will have the opportunity to enjoy observing a skilled crafts person at work. It is no accident that Emma is still with us 200 years after its publication and that it still attracts readers, and re-readers, from all over the world. Please note that the Penguin Classics paperback edition of “Emma” (ISBN# 978-0141439587) is required for this course.

We will discuss Hemingway's life and how it shaped his written works. We will focus on “The Old Man and the Sea,” considered one of his best works. We will also discuss his other works as a way of understanding the man as he went through life. [Note that participants may use any edition of this book.]

"Creative writing comes so easily to me; the words just flow," said nobody EVER. Creative writing is a process which can sometimes be arduous. However, exploring creative expression can also be fun and reflective. This three-session course will provide in-class exercises and group feedback designed to get your creative juices flowing in the genres of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, and will include the devices of language, dialogue, characterization, description and grab-the-reader beginnings. Exercises and activities will be assigned between sessions.

Art can lift your spirits, make you think, enhance your memories and make your home beautiful. It can also create friendships, take you on adventures and make you see the world differently. You can add art objects to your home even if you have a tiny budget. An origami crane or a handmade mug bought from a street artist can be as meaningful as a more expensive painting. How do you find interesting art objects? How do you know it is worth the asking price? What about reproductions? Have you been intimidated by not knowing the lingo? What is “good” art? A hint, it definitely is in the eye of the beholder, but there are some things to look for. Come learn how you can enhance your spirits through your art collection.

The French essayist Michel de Montaigne has remained a source of comfort and insight in troubled times for centuries after his death in 1592. He brought an inquiring mind to a time of plague and civil war, and he invented a literary form – the personal essay – to explore his own nature, and in that way, human nature. Contemplating death, he advanced toward a philosophy of living. In this class we will study selected essays in a robust translation by the Cambridge scholar M. A. Screech, available in a Kindle edition for about $10 or a paperback for about $18 (ISBN# 0140446028 or ISBN# 978-0140446029). The class will also touch very briefly on Montaigne as a figure of the French Renaissance, a near contemporary of Erasmus and Rabelais.

Join us in a well-established OLLI tradition - lively discussions of this chronicle of our times. Started in 1925 as a humor magazine, "The New Yorker" soon became a preeminent forum for serious fiction and journalism. With a circulation above one million and content by the most respected writers of fact and fiction, it is one of the most widely read and influential American magazines. Facilitators Jones and Monnelly will choose the first readings; after that, the class decides. You'll need access to the magazine (subscriptions at www.newyorker.com or check with your local library).

Students will first learn to make a gray scale using water color paint. They will then learn a technique to create evergreen trees and use that technique to create a landscape painting of an evergreen forest. Students will supply their own watercolor brushes (a number 10 and 6 round). The instructor will mail supplies including 2 sheets of watercolor paper, 2 nickel size dots of dried watercolor paint on a disposable palette.

Have you ever been curious about oil or acrylic paint, but were too intimidated to try? Do you love the NH landscape? If YES, join us for a truly beginner experience in oil or acrylic painting: Three classes will be held online for very basic instruction through lecture and demonstration followed by two sessions of outdoor painting. Learn about proper materials and techniques, basic color theory and the history of landscape paintings. Find out how to select the best site to paint ... and then do it! **Please note: This is NOT a watercolor class.** [Note: Participants will need to purchase basic paints/brushes, etc., and complete simple assignments before painting outdoors. A recommended materials list will be provided before class; participants should expect to spend $40-$55 for these supplies. Participants will need to be able to carry their supplies and walk to the painting site at Livingston Park, which is near parking less than a five minute walk.]

Short stories are no less complex than novels despite the limited amount of space for getting the job done. This two-session course invites readers to explore the complex artistry of Andre Dubus II. His work is not always comfortable. Dubus intends that his readers struggle with his characters and themes but come away with a deeper understanding of humanity. In the first session, we will discuss “A Father’s Story.” In the second, we will discuss “Townies.” Both pieces can be found in his anthology “The Winter Father (Collected Short Stories & Novellas), Volume 2,” ISBN# 9781567926170. Please read the short stories before joining the session. Thought provoking questions will be provided to participants prior to each session, as well as informational links on Andre Dubus’ life and work.