Hobbies   

Take a step back in time with Gerry Smith, former Broome County Historian, as he leads you around several blocks of downtown Binghamton. Gerry provides insights and anecdotes about the architecture of Binghamton and its history. Learn about building styles, churches, factories, robber barons and the heyday of the city. The tour begins in front of the Broome County Courthouse. Please dress according to the weather. Enrollment is limited.

For over six centuries individuals have turned to a mysterious deck of cards known as the tarot to seek guidance, to understand complex situations, and to gain insight into the murkiness that can so often be present in our lives.

This course is ideal for beginners, however, those with more tarot experience will find themselves with new techniques and possible interpretations of the cards as well.

We will explore:

• Tarot history
• Structure of the tarot deck
• Meaning of the cards’ symbolism
• Traditional meanings of the cards
• How to lay out a reading
• How to interpret cards in relationship to each other

This course will be taught by Jesse Katen, a tarot enthusiast who has been reading cards for over 25 years for clients around the globe. This class will give you what you need to embark upon the lifelong journey of learning and practicing the art of tarot!

Note: All attendees should come to class with a Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck (also known as “the Rider tarot deck” or “the Rider-Waite tarot”). This deck is the basic (and essential!) deck that we will be working from in class. It is available inexpensively from most book stores.

Strongly recommended: “The New Tarot Handbook” by Rachel Pollack

Come and enjoy learning to paint with watercolor in this step-by-step method. This style of learning generates success! Everyone will take home a matted painting, ready to frame. No experience is necessary. A supply fee of $25 is payable to the instructor in class.

Registration/cancellation deadline: July 15, 2024. No refunds after this date.

Learn pen and ink techniques on canvas, and then learn how to softly color your pen and ink drawing using oil paint.  We will be using techniques such as glazing, roughing, scumbling and more.  Leave this class with your painting finished and ready to frame!  No drawing skills or background painting skills are required.  Join Kathy Smith as she teaches this step by step method so beginners and experienced painters can learn this new fun painting process.

A $25 supply fee is payable to the instructor in class.

Registration/cancellation deadline: June 10, 2024. No refunds after this date

Enjoy a walking history lesson and tour of Binghamton’s West Side with its rich architecture and heritage as the first suburb of Binghamton. Join Gerry Smith, former Broome County Historian, to see examples of many architecture styles dating from the 1840’s to the 1930’s. The tour encompasses several blocks and begins in front of Roberson Museum & Science Center, 30 Front Street, Binghamton. Please dress according to the weather. Enrollment is limited.

In just a few hours, you can learn enough secrets of the trade to give you years of musical enjoyment. Learn to play piano the way professionals do – using chords. The chord method is LOTS of fun and dramatically easier to learn than reading notes. Fee includes the online book, online follow up lessons, a recording of the class and also an optional periodic question and answer session. Class is held online using zoom and is partly hands-on instruction and partly lecture demonstration.

This is a Zoom class. You must have Zoom downloaded on your computer and have a web camera, audio (microphone) and internet to take this class. You will receive a Zoom invitation prior to class.

In just a few hours you can learn enough about playing the guitar to give you years of musical enjoyment, and you won’t have to take private lessons to do it. This crash course will teach you some basic chords and get you playing along with your favorite songs right away. Fee includes the online book, online follow-up lessons, a recording of the class and also an optional periodic question and answer session. Class is held online using zoom and is partly hands-on instruction and partly lecture/demonstration.

This class will be through Zoom.  You will receive a Zoom invitation prior to class.  You must have Zoom downloaded on your computer and have a web camera, audio (microphone) and internet to take this class.

This is a fun combination of watercolor and wax. It is taught in a step-by-step method. No experience is necessary to make a one-of-a-kind beautiful painting. You will take home a beautiful, matted painting, ready to frame and hang. A supply fee of $25 is payable to the instructor in class.

Registration/cancellation deadline – August 5, 2024. No refunds after this date.