Creative Arts   

This class is for the beginning painter. We will learn and practice color mixing, composition, using basic painting projects to master blending, and control of the acrylic medium. We will follow step-by-step instructions. All materials are provided.

If you have painted before and would like to take your painting to a deeper level, this class is for you. We will continue to work on brush use, palette knives with the addition of mixed media, and furthering our understanding of building a painting. Paintings will be step-by-step with room for individual exploration. The focus will be on understanding the what and the why and developing an informed, intuitive painting practice.

Six Exciting Lectures: Ansel Adams in the West, Rodeo Photography, 8 Great Female Photographers, Hemingway: A Life In Pictures, 50 Years of Rolling Stone Magazine, and Must Love Dogs.

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.

Do you draw, write novels, knit, paint, collage, hook rugs, embroider, or make any other art or craft? Do you need an impulse to get you going? Instead of doing it alone, come to the OLLI Creation Zone. We will have tables (with plastic sheets covering them to allow for messiness) and chairs set up. You bring yourself, your ideas, and your materials. No instruction, no demands, just a group of people creating in comradery.

Friends and family love getting handmade cards. Come join us and discover basic techniques and tips for making beautiful cards. And the best part is that it's fun!

Want to watch some great and interesting movies? In this class we'll watch and discuss some of our favorites. Each meeting will feature a representative movie from a different genre.

"Folkloric" means "for everyone" – all ages, all abilities. If you can walk, you can dance; if you can talk, you can sing. This interactive class weaves together lecture, movement, live percussion, and discussion to explore embodied practices that preserve culture and build community. Participants learn through doing, engaging mind, body, and spirit in traditions that entertain, educate, and strengthen. As a bonus, when you're done, you won't need a trip to the gym.

A half-hour walk immersed in nature prepares us to sit with our sketchbook journals and observe, question, draw, paint, and write about what we see, hear, and feel – focusing on our senses, curiosity, and the observation process over perfecting an end product. We'll explore Upper and Lower Bidwell Park, Indian Fishery, and the Genetic Resource & Conservation Center (Chico Tree Farm). Participants provide their own art materials and choose their subjects. There is no official art instruction. Some basic techniques and many online supplemental materials are provided.

Explore the basics of beading in this introductory class. Learn what types of materials to use depending on the project and various techniques to create bracelets, necklaces, or earrings. All materials are provided.

Explore the basics of beading in this introductory class. Learn what types of materials to use depending on the project and various techniques to create bracelets, necklaces, or earrings. All materials are provided.

If you can't draw, know that 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.

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 chat and share ideas 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.

Join us for dinner and a show! We will enjoy a pre-show dinner followed by a play at a local theatre. Dinners are optional and will be scheduled closer to the dates of each performance. Come enjoy local talent and socialize with fellow show lovers.

This class is for people who already know how to play the A-G chords. We play and sing 3-, 4-, and 5-chord songs by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, the Everly Brothers, and other musicians from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. The class is mostly to practice feeling comfortable with playing guitar while singing. There is some instruction on more advanced guitar playing. Bring a guitar, ukulele, or other stringed instrument, or you're welcome to come just to sing along with the class.

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.

Each week the class will read poems by an individual poet, a collection of poems on a specific subject, or a collection of poems in a specific style. A wide range of poets and poetry will be presented, from classic to contemporary. We will discuss poetry from the perspective that the poet creates the work but the reader activates it.

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!

This class will introduce you to basic foundational skills in establishing a composition for a photo, using the rule of thirds, and considering the values in a photo. This content will be followed by an introduction to the many photo editing tools available on an iPhone and how to use them with the photos you have taken. If you have taken this class previously, you are welcome to take it as a refresher.

Tap dance involves rhythmic, percussive, and precise movement of the feet while promoting the flow and individual style of the entire body. Classes will include warm-up, structured movement phrases that will build in complexity, and creative explorations. All levels are welcome. Good standing balance is recommended.

Tap dance involves rhythmic, percussive, and precise movement of the feet while promoting the flow and individual style of the entire body. Classes will include warm-up, structured movement phrases that will build in complexity, and creative explorations. All levels are welcome. Good standing balance is recommended.

How many times have you heard, "Dance like nobody's watching"? This class is the antidote to movement inhibition. Your cells are itching to move to the beat, perfection not required. We'll play, connect, and converse through music and movement in a fun, safe, inclusive setting. If you just love to move, show up and share it!

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal 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!

This class is an introduction to watercolor. We will focus on learning the basics of technique, color mixing, blending, and familiarizing ourselves with the medium of watercolor. Some classes will be dedicated to techniques; in other classes we will be creating finished works. The class will help you to feel more confident in your watercolor practice.

If you have painted with watercolor and would like to take it to the next stage, this class is for you. We will practice sketching and developing a deeper understanding of planning and painting while adding our own individual style. We will practice brushwork and take our time developing each piece.

Grab your sketchbook and assorted art materials! The goal of this class is to complete a piece of art during each weekly session. To do this, we will observe or listen to something inspiring, briefly discuss it, and then create our own original piece of art. Prior to each session, the instructor will share the specific art materials she will be using. Participants are welcome to follow along with the instructor or take off in a direction of their own.

This 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 nonfiction, 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.

Ever watch a movie and think, "I could write something better"? Now's your chance! This hands-on workshop for beginners delivers practical techniques from working screenwriters in a supportive environment. You'll learn structure that works, create compelling characters, and master visual storytelling. Whether you're adapting your novel or exploring that idea rattling around your brain, you'll gain the skills to write your screenplay and working knowledge of what it takes to get from page to screen. No experience necessary – just stories to tell.

This all-new sequel to The Magic of Film Scores shifts the spotlight from the score to the songs, dance and lyrical storytelling that gave film musicals their unforgettable sparkle. From the nimble tread of the feet of Fred Astaire to the hip hop history of Hamilton, we'll journey through nearly a century of toe-tapping, heartstring-pulling movie magic. Explore the evolution of musicals on screen, from the glamour of MGM to bold, socially conscious stories. We'll also trace rock's rise in cinema, including a session on The Beatles films, spotlight pop and jukebox musicals of the 21st century, and dedicate a session to jazz in biographical and noir-inspired films.