Ashland/Talent Courses   

This is a previously taught course with new content that aims to broaden a student’s vocabulary and understanding of today’s spoken German. The class reads, checks for understanding and comments on selected readings. This term we will read and discuss the instructor’s memoirs from 1992 and later. The etymology of certain words will be discussed as well, and the rules of grammar will be explained on request. Occasionally, we will read and analyze German poetry or other culturally appropriate material. 

NOTE: There is no class on Nov. 11.

The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) might be just what you have been looking for, if you appreciate looking very closely at images and sharing them with others. IIIF, a set of open standards for delivering high-quality, attributed digital objects online at scale, has been adopted by hundreds of institutions. From photos of cell structures in the Wellcome Collection to details of manuscripts in the British Library, IIIF can provide excellent zoomable images, facilitate sharing and annotating details while preserving connections to the original images. Students will explore how to access the vast variety of images accessible in IIIF, share them with viewers like Mirador, annotate them and include the results in presentations (like teaching at OLLI).

NOTE: All the materials used in the course are available at no cost online.

This course is based on the AARP Smart Driver course, which has been shown to significantly reduce older drivers’ risk of collision. It will help you become more proficient in the current rules of the road, improve your defensive driving techniques and help you with safe vehicle operation in today’s demanding driving environment. The course will focus on the vital relationship between the driver, vehicle and road, and look at how factors such as aging, medications and alcohol can impact driving. You’ll also learn about the latest vehicle safety features and technological advancements. Importantly, you will learn how to identify when it’s no longer safe to drive and how to find alternative travel options. This course may qualify you for a multiyear discount on your auto insurance.

NOTE: A required materials fee of $20 to $25 (discount for AARP members) includes a comprehensive 120-page Participant Guide. Both days are required for course completion and insurance discount. The fee will be collected on the first day by cash or check made out to AARP. Credit cards will not be accepted. 

PowerPoint presentations that include stories and facts are shared with an emphasis on birding in the Rogue Valley and around the region. The members of the class are invited to share their stories and information. Topics are chosen that best fit the time of year and the interests of the folks who come to the class. No experience or prior knowledge is needed. Rather, it is a class that invites curiosity and engagement with nature and community. Poetry is interwoven throughout. Topics may include fall birding, connecting birding with poetry, mindful birding and learning about how birds get their common and Latin names. Generally, we focus on birds’ behaviors and how we can connect with them and all of nature and how we can take care of the nature that we love. 

Have you ever wondered how you might feel stable and more at ease in unstable and uncertain times? This six-week course, for the novice as well as for the seasoned meditator, is designed to be user-friendly and devoid of any ideological framework. It aims to integrate the practice of meditation seamlessly into ordinary life. It’s an invitation to quiet an overactive mind, regulate and calm your nervous system and follow your curiosity down the yellow brick road of your inner world, as well as to better understand how we all create our subjective experience. Each class will include discussion, guidance and lengthening periods of meditative practice. 

NOTE: Participants from previous classes are welcome to repeat this class. It is quite useful to deepen the meditation experience. 

Relax, have fun, and enjoy heartfelt stories about animals — both domestic and wild. Through these tales, you’ll experience the unique love, wisdom and presence that animals offer, while possibly reconnecting with meaningful encounters from your own life. Intuitive messages from animals will be shared and you will be guided through gentle visualizations to help you access your inner connection with animals. Together, these experiences will be explored through group discussions and Q&A, creating a supportive space for reflection. You’ll also hear lighthearted instructor-written fairy stories that use animal characters as metaphors for life’s lessons. This class is designed to awaken the soul, spark curiosity and deepen your appreciation for the many ways animals touch our lives.

Bridge is a rich card game that is challenging and fun. This course is for people who have never played bridge, people who are returning to the game after a long absence and beginners looking to improve their game. Using many prepared examples, students will learn how to bid and how to play, along with many tips for advancing beyond the basics of the game. Most class days will include playing some full hands of bridge with guidance from the instructor. 

You can truly learn something new about the game of bridge forever. This course is geared for people who know a little about the game — they have played before and are familiar with the basics of bidding — and now want to improve their game. The focus will be on the fundamentals of the Standard American Five Card bidding system, followed by some good strategies for both playing (i.e., how to “make” your contracts) and for defending (i.e., how to defeat the opponents’ contracts). 

This course will cover a number of tips for players already familiar with the basics of the game of bridge. The ideal student is familiar with the content of my first two courses: Learn How to Play Bridge and Beginning Bridge 2. That is, some knowledge of the basics of the Standard American Five Card Major bidding system are assumed — though they will be reviewed during the course. Examples of topics include special uses of doubling, slam conventions, competitive bidding situations, opening leads guidelines, and general declarer and defensive strategies. Each class session will include a minimum of 45 minutes of students playing bridge hands.

This nine-week course explores the chakra system and its relationship to emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Students will learn the function of each major chakra, common signs of balance and imbalance, and practical techniques for supporting overall well-being through greater self-awareness. Topics include the energetic body, the seven primary chakras, the aura, grounding practices, meditation, and the connection between thoughts, emotions and energy. Instruction will include lectures, group discussion, guided exercises and experiential activities designed to help participants better understand and apply the concepts presented. The course is presented from an energy-healing perspective while encouraging personal exploration. 

NOTE: No prior knowledge or experience is required. Participants are encouraged to bring a notebook or journal for personal reflection. All participation is voluntary and may be adapted to individual comfort levels. There is no class on Nov. 11.

What is cryptocurrency? Join us and find out. This course is primarily for those who know little to nothing about cryptocurrencies (of which bitcoin is the most well-known). Each session will include in-class instruction using PowerPoint slide presentations and video clips followed by group discussions. We will review the history of money and world economies. You can expect to gain a greater understanding of the role cryptocurrencies are now playing in the world’s geopolitical and monetary arenas, focusing particularly on the role the U.S. is and will be playing and how it might affect us. By the end of the course you can expect to have a basic understanding of cryptocurrencies, as well as to have enough knowledge to procure and manage your own bitcoin.

DISCLAIMER AND LIABILITY WAIVER: This course is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. By enrolling, you assume all investment risks and agree to hold Southern Oregon University and its representatives harmless from any financial losses, damages or claims. 

Students will learn and practice dances of England, France and Italy that date from the Renaissance and Baroque periods and the late 18th century. At each class, participants will actively engage in a physical warm-up and targeted dance techniques. They will have ample time to practice the dances’ movements as they are taught. The warm-up is to prepare the body to move and dance. The techniques will break down the steps and movements needed to perform each dance and note how those steps evolved over time. Different dances will be taught than in previous versions of this course. No partner or prior dance background is required to participate.

NOTE: This is an active, physical class and we will be on our feet 90 minutes. Know your limitations. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

This course will examine and allow for discussion of end-of-life healthcare options including palliative care, hospice, medical aid in dying (MAID), the Oregon Death With Dignity Act (DWDA), Voluntarily Stopping Eating & Drinking (VSED), POLST and advance directives. Two 90-minute sessions will allow for lectures and case presentations on these topics as well as adequate time for discussion and questions. The primary presenter is an Oregon physician with experience in family and emergency medicine, EMS medical direction and end-of-life care. Some topics may be covered in presentations from other experienced and knowledgeable local healthcare providers.

NOTE: This is an educational course, and no specific medical advice, services, care or prescriptions will be provided to attendees.

Where does government money come from — and where does it go? This six-class course challenges the most common myth in economic life: that the federal government runs like a household budget. Starting from first principles, we will explore what fiat currency actually is, how money is created, and what separates a currency issuer (the federal government) from a currency user (everyone else). We will unpack the national “debt,” inflation, sectoral balances and the role of taxes in funding federal spending. Along the way we’ll screen “Finding the Money,” Stephanie Kelton’s documentary on modern monetary theory. No economics background is required — just curiosity and a willingness to question what you’ve been told. 

This course is all about singing Christmas Carols in French, with most selections having the exact same melodies familiar in many languages. “Silent Night” becomes “Douce Nuit,” “O Holy Night” becomes “Minuit Chretiens,” “Little Drummer Boy” becomes “Enfant au Tambour,” “Winter Wonderland” becomes “Bonhomme Hiver,” “Little Toy Trains” becomes “Petit Garcon/Petite Fille,” “Bring a Torch” becomes “Un Flambeau.” Usually, we end up with eight or 10, including some very simple rounds, which are good warm-ups to help get beginners started. Strong interest and willingness to practice are more important than French background. There are no requirements beyond the joy of singing in a group with familiar tunes in a group setting.

This course is designed for those with little or no knowledge of maintaining and repairing a home. You’ll learn how water, gas and electricity enter a home and how to shut them off; how to change the filter in your furnace; and how to clean the coils on your refrigerator. We’ll talk about how to replace a light switch and outlet, fix door problems, plumbing and electricity, and what tools to have. You’ll learn what to watch out for outside the home, such as clogged gutters, water leaks, siding damage and invasive vegetation. We’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of buying through big-box stores versus independent merchants, how to choose a contractor and not get cheated, and other issues in maintenance and repair. Class members will have a chance to raise issues specific to their homes.

NOTE: There is no class on Nov. 11.

Hot News & Cool Views is an open discussion forum to explore and discuss each week’s breaking news, from Oregon to around the globe. All views and opinions are not only welcome but essential for lively discussion in the group. We cover a wide range of topics, including politics, climate change, technology and medicine. An agenda with articles to read will be sent to you prior to each class. Students are encouraged to send in topics and news articles to add to each week’s agenda. Please join us for a sizzling hot journey around the world with our fast, fun and sometimes controversial class, whose success is largely a product of the wisdom, knowledge and experience of our great group. Many people take our class again because it’s better than a strong cup of coffee to get your week going! 

If you have ever watched a solid lump of clay take form on a potter’s wheel, it looks like magic, but really it is just a skill that can be practiced and learned. Over four weeks, students will learn the fundamental steps of throwing: preparing the clay, centering, opening, pulling the clay into a cylinder and shaping. We will also cover trimming and glazing. This course is designed for students with no experience or those who want to refine their skills.

NOTE: The total cost to participate is $112 ($28 per session) and includes course materials. Payment should be made directly to Talent Maker City after registration is processed. Registration fees are nonrefundable, and a signed liability waiver is required to participate.

In this course you will learn the basics of relief printmaking. Students will learn design tips and tricks to make a dynamic print, proper tool usage and cleanup, and how to successfully transfer a design. Instructor Amy Godard will guide you through the process of creating your own one- color relief prints that can be made into cards or limited-edition prints.

NOTE: Total cost to participate is $112 ($28 per session) and includes course materials. Payment should be made directly to Talent Maker City after registration is processed. Registration fees are nonrefundable, and a signed liability waiver is required to participate.

If you can hold a pencil, you can do this. Zentangle comes from the words “Zen” and “tangle” (entangled, interwoven) and combines creativity with meditation. Zentangle is an easy method to learn because it consists of structured patterns. Stroke by stroke, simple lines are repeated onto paper. With every line, you can dive further into the world of tangles. In a short time, tangles turn into amazing 3D, graphic, elaborate and beautiful tiles. They are unplanned, abstract, black and white. Zentangle calms, relaxes, and is fun. 

NOTE: Students should be prepared with pens, other drawing supplies and Zentangle tiles. A complete materials list will be sent to registered students. Depending on personal preferences and supplies already owned, the cost could range from $20 to $45. 

Students will be introduced to the art of juggling two, three or more balls. Everyone is welcome; whether you have never touched a juggling ball or you can juggle already, you will make progress on your juggling journey. We will start each class with warm-up activities to prepare our bodies and minds for learning, progress to instructor’s demonstrations of new skills and spend lots of time on coached practice. Skills will be scaffolded as appropriate, with various activities to help your learning. If you wish to make quicker progress, suggestions for outside practice will be given. Students will actively participate during class, which includes bending over to retrieve dropped balls. Tables will be available to juggle over to reduce the effort of picking up.

NOTE: Equipment will be provided for use during class. Students are encouraged to bring their own juggling balls, if they have them. If you would like to take home one of the sets we use in class, they will be $15-$20. Recommended: 120- to 135-gram, 65-70 mm thuds or beanbags, from a quality company like Renegade or Firetoys. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

This course presents films that are widely considered to be inspirational and have been well received by the general public as well as by movie critics. These films are from the 1980s onward, with most having been produced within the last 10 to 15 years. There are no overtly religious themes, but all could be loosely labeled spiritual in the broadest sense. The following films will be shown in class: “Departures,” “Cast Away,” “Billy Elliot,” “Searching for Sugar Man,” “Queen of Katwe,” “Ghostlight” (2024), “Dead Poets Society,” “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” “Coda” and “Chariots of Fire.” Discussion will follow. There is no requirement to take this class other than a love for movies that have depth and emotional appeal.

How do we know what we know about our universe with all its galaxies, stars, planets? How did it form following the Big Bang? How do all these old and new telescopes work? How do we measure time and distance? How do stars form and evolve? What are gravity waves and black holes? This course will examine these topics that have no practical use for most but are fun to learn about anyway. The course will be taught using PowerPoint presentations and other visual and audio material. As much time as necessary will be devoted to your questions. Not included in the course: space exploration, planetary geology, extraterrestrial life, astrology, constellations and star positions, or exoplanets.

This fun and active course is for pickleball players who understand the game and want to meet players through a rotation/competitive type of play. All levels of players are welcome. There will be three classes during the term, each with 3½ hours of play. Players will learn format, partnering, stacking, hand signals, types of scoring, byes, types of pickleballs and when to utilize them. Timing and numbering of rotations will be taught with an emphasis on safety. Six games will be played in each class, with frequent rest breaks. You will be an active participant and connect with your partner in strategizing your game plan. This course is taught by experienced local players from the Ashland Oregon Pickleball Club. 

NOTE: This course will be at Lithia Park pickleball courts; court numbers 1-4 have been reserved from 8 a.m. to noon. Bring your favorite paddle and a hydrating drink and wear court shoes and a hat or visor. Eye protection is recommended. In the event of inclement weather, we will cancel. There is a $3 fee for pickleballs, payable to the instructor. Signed liability waiver required to participate. Class dates are 10/15, 10/29 and 11/19. 

The goal of this course is to foster an appreciation for the importance of plants in our daily lives. We will examine how plants contribute to our lives and well-being beyond the basics such as oxygen to breathe, food, shelter and clothing. The course will introduce some scientific concepts and terminology relating to plant structures and functions as well as economic and historical aspects of plant use. The format will be interactive lectures; plant material will be brought in periodically to demonstrate particular concepts. This course is a continuation of Plants and People, Part 1, and will cover topics not included in the first part such as medicinal and psychoactive plants, spices, fermentation and stimulating beverages. Students do not need to have taken Part 1

Anyone who knows the Cyrillic alphabet can enjoy Russian poetry. Join in reading aloud from poets such as Aleksander Pushkin, Mikhail Lermontov and Aleksander Blok. All poems will be online as text and audio. In each class, we will translate a poem, touching on the vocabulary and grammar necessary for understanding how it means what it means. We will then read he poems aloud together and discuss them. We will sing some of the poems that have been set to music or were written as songs, including favorites from earlier OLLI classes. This is not a deep literature class. The point is to enjoy making the sounds of Russian and appreciate how they interact with its meaning. Students who enjoyed “The Cyrillic Alphabet” or “Russian: Focus on Pronunciation” in the Spring 2026 Term are encouraged to enroll.

NOTE: Students at all levels are welcome. “The Poetry Reader for Russian Learners,” free at russianpoetry.yale.edu, will provide many of the poems. The free online “Introduction to the Russian Language” at Mezhdunami.org will help with grammar.

For one of Shakespeare’s closest friends and rivals Ben Jonson, most men were basically crooks, con men or cuckolds; and most women were bawds, backbiters or social climbers. He knew of what he wrote. He was a jailbird. He was a convicted murderer and a suspected traitor. Unlike Shakespeare, Jonson believed the purpose of comedy was to “make men better.” So Jonson, to shame Londoners, reveled in rubbing their noses in the iniquities of their contemporary life. And they enjoyed this rubbing no less! From 1598 to 1616, he regaled London with some of the greatest comedies ever written in English: “Volpone,” “The Alchemist,” “The Silent Woman” and “Bartholomew Fair,” among others. If you believe that scoundrels rule our world, you already have a leg up to appreciate Jonson.

NOTE: No text is required, but there will be a field trip to Hannon Library to view the first editions of Jonson’s two collected “workes” (1616 and 1641). Signed liability waiver required to participate.

Northern Spain is a geologic wonderland that is easily explored because of its accessible coastline and mountain exposures. This course will focus on three areas, how they formed and how to visit them: 1) Los Picos de Europa, a National Park in Cantabria Province, where limestone peaks were formed during the Paleozoic Era and uplifted during the collision between Africa and Europe that also created the Alps. This province also contains an abundance of Paleolithic rock art. 2) The Dinosaur Coast in Asturias Province, where many types of dinosaurs roamed during the Jurassic Period. 3) The Basque Geopark in the Basque Country, where 60 million years of geologic history, including the end-of-Cretaceous mass extinction, are exposed along 20 km of spectacular coastline. 

Northern Spain is a geologic wonderland that is easily explored because of its accessible coastline and mountain exposures. This course will focus on three areas, how they formed and how to visit them: 1) Los Picos de Europa, a National Park in Cantabria Province, where limestone peaks were formed during the Paleozoic Era and uplifted during the collision between Africa and Europe that also created the Alps. This province also contains an abundance of Paleolithic rock art. 2) The Dinosaur Coast in Asturias Province, where many types of dinosaurs roamed during the Jurassic Period. 3) The Basque Geopark in the Basque Country, where 60 million years of geologic history, including the end-of-Cretaceous mass extinction, are exposed along 20 km of spectacular coastline. 

This class will explore and discuss four famous spiritual teachers: Ram Dass, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi and Jane Goodall. Each class will include a short meditation, teachings, Q&A, class discussion, and time for tea and cookies. There will be several documentary films. Breakout groups will be held on weeks 3, 5, 7 and 9. We will be studying and discussing the life and core teachings of each figure, his or her place in history, and their lasting impact on the world. This is designed to be a course in comparative religion, spirituality and philosophy. Therefore, a diverse range of ideas, understandings and responses — positive, negative and neutral — will be examined and considered in a safe space. There will be optional reading assignments and suggested homework. All are welcome!

Explore the timeless art of stained glass in this beginner-friendly, hands-on class. Over four weeks, you will learn the essentials of the copper foil method, including choosing patterns, cutting glass, foiling, soldering and finishing your piece. Guided step-by-step, you will create your own stained-glass artwork to take home while gaining confidence with the tools, materials and techniques of the craft. No prior experience is necessary.

NOTE: The total cost to participate is $132 ($33 per session) and includes course materials. Payment should be made directly to Talent Maker City after registration is processed. Registration fees are nonrefundable, and a signed liability waiver is required to participate.

What does it mean to think on the page? The personal essay — one of literature’s most intimate and flexible forms — has been shaping minds since Montaigne confessed his way through 16th- century France. From Bacon’s crisp observations to Baldwin’s searing witness to modern editorial pages and posts on Substack, the essay has always been used by writers to figure things out in public. In this course, we’ll trace that rich tradition while immersing ourselves in “The Best American Essays 2025,” the freshest voices grappling with memory, identity, science, grief and wonder. We’ll ask what the essay does that no other form can: how it earns digression, wears research lightly and turns uncertainty into art. The course will include lectures, discussion and recommended reading.

NOTE: The course will include readings from “The Best American Essays 2025,” edited by Jia Tolentino, as well as online readings. Each class will have one required reading and two more recommended.

This class will explore the war in Asia, the Burma Road, FDR, Truman, Chiang Kai-shek and his missionary-surgeon wife, Dr. Seagraves, the Japanese Empire — and why the China Burma India theater was created. All these people, places and events will be woven into a story that will deepen your knowledge and interest in this part of the world and in this time in history. Several love stories of real people who witnessed and lived through this chaotic era will be told. A newly published book brings many of these events to life. Old newsreels and newly found photographs will enhance the telling of these stories and show the sacrifice these people made to make the world a better place. Drama and questioning are also useful tools to keep one’s attention. All will be used in this class, along with audiovisual presentations.

If you’ve been wanting to dive into a rainbow of color, this class is for you! No prior art experience is necessary. We will work with tempera/gouache paint on large-scale art paper in a welcoming studio environment, one that is free of judgment and critique. Process painting invites artists and nonartists alike to step toward the blank canvas and discover the richness that emerges from within. Imagination, intuition and creativity flow as we follow the energy of the creative process.

NOTE: Total cost to participate is $112 ($28 per session) and includes course materials. Payment should be made directly to Talent Maker City after registration is processed. Registration fees are nonrefundable, and a signed liability waiver is required to participate. There is no class on Nov. 3. 

This course explores a practical model of the human spirit through three knowing centers: the Ego Center (sense of self and identity), the Heart Center (compassion and connection) and the Control Center (awareness, decision-making and action). Students will examine how life experiences shape these centers and influence behavior. The course also introduces the God-Soul as a source of wisdom and explores how its interaction with the human spirit can foster transformation. Participants will identify patterns of alignment and imbalance through discussion, reflection and small breakout groups. Class members may well leave with a clearer internal map of how they function and insight into how to live with greater empathy and intention.

Travel sketching can be for your next trip to Rome or for looking out your kitchen window on a snowy winter’s day. Your sketches will give you immediate connection with scenes and everlasting memories. The course will teach members how to find hidden artistic selves and to apply knowledge gained to drawing and sketching scenes found while traveling or at home.  Students will learn basic art concepts and apply them using simple tools such as pencil, pen and watercolor. Instruction will focus on the importance of using a small array of colors to yield vast arrays of colorful paintings. No prior drawing experience is required. Each student should come to the first class ready to work and have fun! 

NOTE: Students will be provided with a materials list and suggested reference material. 

Students will explore the short-lived political and cultural flowering of Germany’s Weimar Republic, 1919-1933. View cinema masterpieces that inspired the best of Hollywood and the world for more than a century. From murder to horror, farseeing science fiction to steamy romance and tragedy — these films that straddle the silent-to-sound technology divide remain superbly entertaining. Do they have anything to teach us in still-troubled times? In the brief space between two devastating world wars, a fragile experiment in democracy that produced these treasures was crushed. Around the world in the 21st century, emerging and older democracies are threatened. Come simply for superb entertainment. Linger a little longer to discuss troubling questions, or not!

NOTE: There is no required text for this class, but “Weimar Cinema: An Essential Guide to Classic Films of the Era,” edited by Noah Issenberg, is highly recommended.

This course will focus on writing creative, nonfiction short essays with an emphasis on memoir writing. Throughout six weeks, students will delve into their pasts and write their own stories. Students should expect to learn how to transform their memories and experiences into written essays that others can understand and enjoy. Students will also learn how to brainstorm topics, organize ideas, create meaningful dialogue, write clear characters, describe experiences, develop settings and revise their work within a supportive setting. Class time will be devoted to discussions of published and student essays and lessons related to the craft of writing. Students will write a two-page essay at home each week. Beginning and experienced writers are welcome.

NOTE: There is no class on Nov. 11.