Creative Arts   

We'll visit museums, art galleries, and studios in the area and talk with curators and artists to learn more about the places and the work. Afterwards, we'll go to coffee houses or restaurants for no-host treats and conversation with group members.

This class examines the precepts of Buddhism in general and of the Chan/Zen branch of Buddhism specifically. We will explore major examples of art and architecture related to Zen. A primary goal of the class is to examine the historical context for the development of the Zen arts; therefore, an examination of the social, religious, political, and cultural influences on the production of art and architecture will be important. In addition, we will consider the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and meditation as a means for developing thoughtful and humane interactions in contemporary life.

This class is for people who know how to play the basic A to G chords on guitar, although class members may bring other stringed instruments to play, e.g. mandolin, bass, ukulele, banjo, harmonica, or squeeze box. Or sing along without an instrument! Songs and lyrics will be emailed each week, featuring artists like Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Everly Brothers, The Drifters, and other favorites from the 1950s and 1960s.

Explore collage by using different papers such as tissue, magazines, books, and music, to name a few. Collage is easy and and doesn't require "artistic talent." We'll complete several projects and have fun doing them!

If you can't draw, know it's not your fault. You weren't taught properly. First published in 1979, Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain applied brain science to drawing instruction. Using her teaching techniques to bypass our internal barriers and connect us to our innate ability to draw, we learn we can do more than we believed. If you want to start exploring art classes but still draw like a child, start here. Stick-figure level drawing skill is perfect and welcome.

Cartooning is a fun, non-threatening way to get into drawing. It can teach you many of the drawing fundamentals in an easy to understand way. Have fun exploring the many possibilities for creating your own unique characters. Learn how to bring your characters to life and give each their own personality. Make them talk and think. Absolutely no drawing ability required. All you need is a pencil and some inexpensive paper.

Knitting with others is a wonderful learning environment. This class is designed to give knitters who have mastered the basic stitches of knit and purl a chance to work on a project of their choosing while we hang out online with other knitters. All levels of ability are welcome! Gale contributes to the class by offering tips and suggestions for patterns, yarn, and tools based on her years of knitting experience.

Each week we'll view a feature-length documentary or two shorter films. The films will generally feature a performer or composer, the impact of their environment on their music, and the impact of their music on other musicians and on society. Or the focus might be on a style of music from swing to country, jazz to rock. This is a class for the open-minded and intellectually curious because, paraphrasing Mick Jagger, you might not always hear what you like, but sometimes you just might like what you hear.

Reading poetry helps you to know things more fully; it commands your attention; and it can sustain good conversation. In this class, participants select poetry from favorite sources to read aloud with fellow enthusiasts.

Sing and/or play popular gospel songs. Bring your voice, guitar, violin, cello, harmonica, squeeze box, or other instrument and join a group of people singing and playing for fun. This is not meant to be religious. It's just a place to enjoy great music. Join us!

We will look at the art, culture, and history of the British Isles. Vikings, monks, illiterate peasants, myths, and legends. The class will look at awesome art and decide how dark these years were!

The Repair Shop is a British series that features expert restorers bringing cherished antiques back to life. Restoration experts in art conservation, carpentry, metalwork, watchmaking, and many other specialized skills demonstrate techniques that can be applied in everyday life. The individual stories of the customers of the Repair Shop often offer historical perspectives of general interest. Examples include repair of running shoes worn at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and the restoration of a seventeenth-century painting of Queen Henrietta Marie, the wife of Charles I.

What made Frank Sinatra the most popular singer and entertainer of the 20th century is a fascinating study of grit and determination that begs to be told. The many difficulties in his personal and professional life over his six-decade career constantly forced him to reinvent himself multiple times and stay relevant. It has been said that if his career ended in the late 1940s when he was known as The Voice, he would be remembered as a first-class singer, but not as a legend. It was only after his career hit rock bottom in 1952, that he climbed back from near obscurity and found his soul to become the cultural icon known as the Chairman of the Board and Ol’ Blue Eyes.

If you are a Sinatra fan or want to know the backstories on what made Sinatra Sinatra, this multimedia presentation will highlight his incredible singing on records, movies, television, Las Vegas and in concert halls. We will also focus on lesser-known career facts about how he impacted our culture and managed to stay on top of the entertainment world in the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond.

Click here for a one-minute video intro to the class.

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal weekly sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal weekly sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!

The Writer's Workshop serves a community of writers interested in sharing their writing and responding to other writers' work. We will focus on fiction, memoir, creative non-fiction, poetry, travel writing, stories for children, and other types of writing. Following a workshop format, this class will be an opportunity for students to receive feedback for their written work and provide meaningful support to fellow writers.

Drawing as a form of relaxation and meditation? Yes! Drawing accesses parts of your brain that are not so active in our twenty-first-century life. This will give you a break from the constant input of modern life and instead put you into a relaxing, creative space. You will learn and practice three relaxing styles of abstract, non-representational drawing in which there is no wrong way to do it. No drawing experience or "talent" required. Stick-figure drawing level skill works.