Arts   

Since all your holiday shopping will be concluded by December 14 (smile), bring a guest and plan to join fellow OLLI members for a delightful holiday lunch at Screamers Dining and Cabaret, combined with awesome entertainment provided by the restaurant staff, all local talent!

Enjoy an afternoon and evening of fine dining, socialization, and Bright Nights at Lauritzen Gardens. We will depart Lincoln via Deluxe Motor Coach and head to Council Bluffs, Iowa for a delightful evening meal with your choice of several beautifully plated dinners. Afterwards, we will head to Lauritzen Gardens to make the holiday season merry and BRIGHT! Holiday poinsettia displays and Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory will be adorned and enhanced with light as the garden celebrates the beauty of the season. Set a merry mood with friends and family and explore the illuminated indoor gardens. From a 20 ft. tall poinsettia tree to a tropical paradise, see festive installations that glow and shine, showcasing nature in a new light.As you tour the glistening indoor gardens, gather around the crackling fire, shop for thoughtful holiday gifts in the gift shop, enjoy holiday music, roast marshmallows and make S’mores, enjoy the family-friendly activities in the “Chill Zone,” create art in the Lite-Brite Forest, and more. Delight in the joy of the holidays and create extraordinary memories with family and friends.

Pulitzer-prize winning composer, Kevin Puts, new adaptation of the 1998 novel by Michael Cunningham and an award-winning 2002 film, chronicles a day in the life of three women from three different eras with interwoven stories connected to Virginia Woolf’s novel “Mrs. Dalloway.” Clarissa is in New York City in 1999. Virginia is in Richmond, England, in 1923. Laura is in Los Angeles in 1949. We will be listening to and discussing the history of creation of this opera, its structure, different musical elements which are characteristic of this opera, and other information will be added to define additional contributions to the genre.

Gain greater proficiency in digital photography while using cameras with interchangeable lenses, including advanced amateur cameras (adjustable), mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (MILC) or digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. This course is designed to provide you with these fundamentals as you practice with your own personal camera. Basic principles of photography will be reviewed and then more sophisticated digital camera operations, such as controls, function and purpose, lighting, composition, hardware options and software will be discussed.

The older we get, the more stories we have. Sometimes we remember every detail like it was yesterday, and other times we only remember bits and pieces. Often, when we are invited to spend time with memory, details begin to reemerge. We will focus on sharing reminiscences. You will practice the key storytelling elements of telling and listening, as we focus on shaping and sharing memories. We want to inspire you to write down your stories. Stories are the riches that convey culture, history and values that unite us.

The ukulele is an easy instrument to learn. Have fun singing, strumming, and learning with fellow OLLI members. Learning a new instrument keeps the brain sharp, and fingering the ukulele helps arthritic hands. You don’t have to know how to read music to take this class. The music studio has ukuleles available for class use at no cost. However, it is helpful if you already have a ukulele. Only soprano ukuleles will be used in this class. Studio is not handicapped accessible.

Learn how to draw human portraits and portraits of your pet: dog, cat, etc. Instruction will include poses, proportions and shading with a variety of art materials. If you don't have a pet, pictures on your phone or magazine pictures of a possible pet will work. Bring snapshots of friends and/or family to draw. Paper and other art media provided. Bring your own #2 pencil and eraser.

Do you have a Mac computer, or an iPad, or an iPhone, or an Apple Watch…or, even a Home Pod? From editing photos to word processing to spreadsheets to turning on and off the lights in your home, these incredibly high-tech devices can be both easy to use and fun. We will touch on some of the more useful features of Apple’s amazing products, as well as demonstrate some practical features and apps to help with “what ails ya,” or, to make your life a bit easier.