Thursday Courses   

Who will control the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in the last two years of President Trump’s administration? That will be the major topic of this course. We’ll also discuss some major state governor races, certainly including Oregon and California. Election laws, campaign spending and developing issues will also be topics for classes. All viewpoints will be welcome. No background information is essential for participants, only an interest in our country.

This is a beginning course in 3D printing. Students will learn about the history of 3D printing, its uses and how it works. The many types of 3D printers and the wide range of materials that can be used for printing will be discussed. As part of the actual printing process, students will use 3D modeling software to access existing files of 3D models for printing 3D objects. Toward the end of the course, students will work on customizing and printing a 3D printed bobblehead or light box. Students will learn how to set up the 3D printer, change filaments and perform basic maintenance. No prior experience is required. Participants should be comfortable following directions to navigate computer software.

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.

Artificial Intelligence is shaping how we think, write and learn. This hands-on course explores how tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can serve as tutors, guides and personal learning companions. Participants will experiment with prompts, compare AI and Google searches, explore multiple perspectives and design a personal learning plan. Each session combines short presentations, live demonstrations and AI application exercises. Topics include how AI “learns,” effective prompt writing, creativity, research and everyday uses of AI. No experience with AI or technology is required beyond familiarity with computers — just curiosity and a willingness to explore how intelligent tools can enhance lifelong learning. 

NOTE: Students must bring a laptop or tablet computer to use during class. 

In this course participants will learn to draw and paint wild animals. Using photographs as references, students will first work with pencils, then complete their pictures in watercolor. Step- by-step instruction, including demonstrations, will be given, and the instructor will share samples of her own work. The instructor will provide chalk pastels, watercolors and brushes; students should bring their own watercolor paper and a sketchbook. A small donation for art supplies would be appreciated. Students are always encouraged to draw/paint at home and bring in their work to share with the class. All levels of drawing experience and expertise are welcome.

This course explores how unions, workers and collective action have been represented across mainstream cinema and network television. The recurring narratives that shape popular understandings of organized labor will be examined through screenings of films such as “On the Waterfront,” “Norma Rae,” “F.I.S.T.” and “Blue Collar,” along with selected television fare: episodes of “The Untouchables” and “The Simpsons.” Central to the course is “what Hollywood has done to unions” — how storytelling conventions have alternately dramatized, simplified, vilified or romanticized labor struggles. While this course will not emphasize literature or economics, some discussion of important books about unions will be featured, as well as a look at post-1945 labor history.

This course is a one-week introductory boot camp geared for absolute beginners who want to learn the basics of playing American Mah-Jongg. This boot camp is a one-week, five-day series of hands-on play and practice activities and is limited to two tables of four or five students at each table. Instruction will cover the game materials and the rules of play. This is not for people who have played before and want to get back into the game. Intermediate or advanced game play strategies are not part of this activity. At the conclusion of the boot camp, students will understand the game materials, objectives and rules of play, and be ready to form a group of beginners to continue their AMJ play. 

NOTE: The required reference text is provided by the instructor. The text fee is $10, payable at the first class, cash only. Please commit to the full week of classes. Missing one class can disrupt the learning experience for all participants. 

Textbooks say philosophy began at Athens with the conversations of Socrates, dialogues of Plato and books of Aristotle, each using logic to solve philosophical questions. But philosophy began earlier — in the work of an intriguing assortment of thinkers from around the Greek world, who lived too early to get the memo from Socrates and his friends about how logic alone ought to be a philosopher’s best friend. These earlier thinkers ushered in a period of intellectual creativity, which didn’t calm down until after the later work of Socrates and his philosophical successors. This online course investigates philosophy’s early years by meeting these early thinkers on their own terms. No knowledge of the subject is needed to enjoy this class. Written lecture notes will be furnished in advance.

Three films. Three generations of outsiders. Three unforgettable soundtracks. In “Easy Rider” (1969), two free spirits hit the open road and discover how little America loves its dreamers. In “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984), a legendary rock band faces the cruel truth that the world stopped listening; they just haven’t noticed yet. In “The Big Chill” (1983), former idealists reunite and reckon with the compromises that turned outsiders into insiders. Together these films trace an arc from countercultural defiance to comic self-delusion to hard-won wisdom — each set to music that defined a generation. Every session will include a PowerPoint analysis of the film, a viewing of the film and then discussion. Come for the nostalgia. Stay for the conversation.

Creating collages is a freeing, fresh way of creating compositions, whether they stand on their own or become sketches for other artwork. Working with recycled, purchased, found and hand-painted papers, students will learn to think outside the box to hone their art-making skills. We will start with the basics: cutting, gluing and exploring the elements of a composition. Demonstrations will be given on ways to select and combine papers and on working in multiples. Students will explore color, line, space, shape, texture and value and will start by creating small postcard-sized collage pieces. At the end of the workshop, participants will have images they can glue into their scrapbooks/sketchbooks. The course is geared to students of all experience levels.

NOTE: There is a $5 per student materials fee.

Sydney Banks, a Scottish welder working in Vancouver, B.C., had a profound mystical experience that transformed his life. Banks traveled the world teaching at universities, writing books and sharing about the principles he discovered. We will explore two novels of his, inspired by a Three Principles global community course: “Second Chance” and “In Quest of the Pearl.” Students are not required to read the books, because we will watch video excerpts of Three Principles teachers reading and discussing passages. These delightful, enchanting books follow Richard, a troubled man dealing with a terminal diagnosis, pain, grief and depression as he vacations on Maui. He meets a mentor, Jonathan, and their rich conversations evoke deep feelings of peace.

NOTE: This course is based upon two books by Sydney Banks, “Second Chance” and “In Quest of the Pearl.” Both books are available from the Jackson County Library Hoopla website as audiobooks. The instructor also has copies he can loan to students in the class.

The world of Bob Dylan’s music is so vast as to seem almost impenetrable. How does one even begin? This class will focus on eight individual albums; each represents a separate chapter in Dylan’s recording career. At the beginning of the term, enrolled students will receive a list of the eight records we will cover, and each week we will discuss and listen to some of the songs on the respective albums. Students will be encouraged to listen to the albums before we meet.

Exercise your brain and have fun. In this practice-only course, we will solve word puzzles together on a shared screen — primarily regular crosswords of various theme types and levels of difficulty from different sources. We may also explore “variety” word puzzles such as acrostics and petal puzzles, and perhaps U.K.-style cryptics, depending on student interest. Solving tips, unusual clues and interesting themes and features will be highlighted and discussed. All levels of ability and students of earlier crossword courses are welcome.

Join us as we harvest from our community dye garden and fix living color onto natural fibers! Students will be harvesting natural botanicals from our dye garden that the previous OLLI participants helped grow from seed and plant. Projects will also use some dye materials that are purchased from a woman-owned dye supply company in Washington. In this five-week series, you will learn the basics of natural dyes while using indigo on napkins, bundle dye techniques on socks and marigold dyestuff on bandanas.

NOTE: Total cost to participate is $140 ($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.

Step inside a circle of calm where the softest things in the universe can overcome the hardest, and discover Taoism as both a living philosophy and a practical toolkit for well-being. In this two-session introduction the instructor, a Taoist priest and founder of the School of Tao Chi, will demonstrate the living, working knowledge and application of Taoism in modern life. Applying ancient knowledge to our modern world through living practice and drawing on Taoism’s core ideas of yield-and-overcome and non-action with purpose, students will be shown the usefulness of this philosophy in modern life. Questions will be encouraged at the end of each class.

Ready to feel more at home in the cloud? We will explore Google Workspace through demonstrations and hands-on activities, turning digital “how-to” into “I’ve got this.” Bring your laptop (essential) and phone. Apple, Windows and Android devices are welcome. Learn how Google applications seamlessly connect across devices. We will explore the essentials from securing your Google account and mastering Gmail to organizing your files in Drive and digital memories in Photos. We will also examine how to build clean, well-formatted documents, organize data in spreadsheets and craft engaging presentations. Our final topic includes time-management tips using Google Calendar. You are invited to explore the possibilities and gain the confidence to stay connected in today’s fast-paced digital world.

NOTE: Students must have an active, accessible Google account to participate in class. Those without an account or who cannot access their account or need assistance to ensure their account is set up properly (secure) must attend class Session 1. Those who can confidently access their Google account need not attend Session 1. Formal instruction will begin in Session 2.

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.

In this highly interactive wisdom-sharing course, you will be introduced to personal growth techniques that can help you to relieve the emotional pain you carry from feeling guilty, shameful or embarrassed about yourself. The backbone of the course will be discussions of the academic understandings of how guilt, shame and embarrassment originate and persist in our minds. We’ll examine specific issues (body shame, deceit, low self-esteem) that participants want to resolve. Powerful “ah-ha!” moments will help everyone to transform negative self-judgment into self-compassion and to remain on your path of authenticity guiding you to a shame-free future of expanded clarity and freedom. Sensitive subjects will be discussed, but participation in discussion is always voluntary.

We appear to be as polarized as ever. According to David Brooks, author of “How to Know a Person,” it doesn’t take much to connect with a stranger. The best attitude is to be open, confident and curious. Listen closely for a vulnerability that they share. Try sharing a similar vulnerability to develop a deeper connection with them. During classes, we will learn how to handle tough conversations. Get into the “zone” with anyone, whether a stranger or acquaintance. Make new friends! The course will use “How to Know a Person” by David Brooks along with books by Charles Duhigg (“Supercommunicators”) and Emily Kasriel (“Deep Listening”). The course will be taught over five lectures. Discussions will be guided by PowerPoint presentations. Optional conversational exercises will be provided

This course expands participants’ improvisational skills through structured activities, guided scene work and supportive ensemble practice. Students will explore character development, emotional point of view, status interactions, story structure and multi-person scenes while strengthening listening, collaboration and spontaneity. Instruction includes demonstrations, warm-ups, partner and group exercises, and short scenes that encourage creative risk taking without performance pressure. No theater background is required; however, comfort with basic improv concepts is required. The course emphasizes relationship-centered, narrative-driven improv rather than comedy technique. Each session follows a consistent structure of warm-up, focused skill exploration, applied activities and reflection.

NOTE: Students should have mastered beginning improv skills prior to taking this class. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

Discover the joy of shaping wood on the lathe in this hands-on introductory course. You’ll learn the fundamentals of safe lathe operation and tool selection, the principles of spindle and face plate turning, and essential turning techniques while practicing on a variety of small projects. This is a project-directed class. Students will leave with projects reflecting their learned skills. No prior experience is required — just curiosity and a willingness to try something new.

NOTE: The total cost to participate is $100 ($25 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.

Want to use up stashed yarn? Want to get a start on knitting presents for the holidays? Need something to snuggle in your life? This class will teach knitters tips and techniques such as short rows, various increases and mattress stitch while creating a small fun project — an Emotional Support Chicken! This is a great course for using up bits of yarn you have on hand and learning knitting skills applicable to other projects. Students need to know how to cast on, knit, purl and bind off comfortably. Beginning knitting will not be taught.

NOTE: Students will need to purchase the pattern ($6.50) and view the final product at theknittingtreela.com; select Emotional Support Chicken kit. Stuffing, eyes, and red and yellow yarn (for the wattle, crown and beak) will be provided for a materials fee of $3 to $5.

Transform nature into metal clay jewelry! Discover the magic of turning leaves, flowers and found treasures into stunning jewelry. In this hands-on course, participants will learn how to capture botanical textures and natural forms using Art Clay bronze, copper and silver — all versatile metal clays. Create your own one-of-a-kind pendant, earrings or charms inspired by the beauty of the world around you. No prior experience is needed — just your curiosity and a love of nature and wearable art. Let your creativity take root and blossom into timeless jewelry you’ll be proud to wear.

NOTE: The total cost to participate is $120 ($30 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.

This course will introduce participants to natural burial (aka green, eco, conservation or forest burial) and empower them to make value-aligned choices for after-death care. Attendees will learn what industry standards and environmental practices make “green” burial so green, as well as what natural burials look like and entail. The course also covers prearrangement considerations, including Oregon’s legal requirements for making final disposition designations. Finally, a field trip invites participants to explore some of the Rogue Valley’s natural burial options. 

NOTE: Signed liability waiver required to participate.

This class will provide an overview of the various choices in natural deathcare and why natural and conservation burials are the only sustainable solution based on scientific data. The class will discuss the public health and environmental concerns raised by cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, human composting and ocean/sky burials. Students will be encouraged to document their deathcare wishes and will be introduced to the Advance Natural Deathcare Directive, the four available regional choices and the four tasks of natural deathcare.

NOTE: This course is being offered in partnership with the Rogue Valley Manor. Seating will be shared equally with 20 seats for OLLI at SOU members and 20 for Manor residents.

This course is designed for those who want to learn the fundamentals of the fastest growing sport in America. It is played by all age groups and physical abilities in recreational or tournament play. Join the fun, led by experienced instructors from the Ashland Oregon Pickleball Club. We will meet for 1½ hours for five consecutive afternoons. Beginning players will learn the basics: choosing a paddle, paddle position, serving, return of serve, dinking, drills, scoring and calling “out balls.” You might meet “Nasty Nelson!” An emphasis will be placed on safety, court etiquette and sportsmanship. AOPC will provide paddles, balls and instruction. Information on courts in the Rogue Valley will be included. 

NOTE: Please wear court shoes and a hat or visor and bring a hydrating drink. Protective eyewear is recommended. In the event of inclement weather, the class will be canceled. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

This course is designed for students who have taken the Absolute Beginners Pickleball course or have a rudimentary knowledge of the game. It will be taught by seasoned instructors who are experienced players and members of the Ashland Oregon Pickleball Club. Expect to build on the basic game to include advanced strategy in play. We will meet at Lithia Park pickleball courts for 1½ hours a day for five consecutive days. The emphasis will be on safety, playing by USA pickleball rules and sportsmanship. This skills-building course will focus on serves, third-shot drops (drop shots), drives, lobs, partner communication and types of scoring, and on understanding Bert, Ernie and Nasty Nelson. The last day will be a fun and fast-paced round-robin, in which all players will rotate. 

NOTE: Please bring your favorite paddle, wear court shoes and a hat or visor and bring a hydrating drink. Eye protection is recommended. If we have inclement weather, the class will be canceled. Signed liability waiver required to participate.

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

“Prophet Song” is the 2023 Booker Prize winner by Irish novelist Paul Lynch. This gem of a novel was described as a “prophetic masterpiece” in the Washington Post. Through lyrical prose, Paul Lynch slowly reveals a horrific scenario through the experience of his protagonist Eilish, a scientist and mother of four, whose husband, a union organizer, is “disappeared” at the start of a hostile government takeover of Ireland. Described in the New York Times as coming “at a moment when the fear it addresses is daily in the news,” this novel is not an easy read, and yet it is essential. Students will read portions of the novel each week and discuss their responses to the unraveling of Eilish’s life. Students may find a glimmer of hope when introduced to the hidden mythic elements in the narrative. 

NOTE: Students are encouraged to read the entire novel before the course begins. 

This course will ask participants a question: “For the sake of democracy, do unions matter?” Notable events, from the inception of the American union movement to the present time, will be examined to help participants answer the question. All events will be studied in the historical context in which they occurred, including how unions started as local alliances that brought different trades and working communities together for their collective interests; unions’ role during Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, the Great Depression, Civil Rights and Neoliberal America. Despite the instructor’s pro-union bias, every attempt will be made to provide different perspectives about the historical events described. Suggested reading: “A History of America in Ten Strikes” by Erik Loomis.

This course will introduce students to the concept of political theology using the Gospel of Mark as an example of standing in the breach between temple and court collusion while exercising nonviolent resistance toward authoritarian power. Americans have been taught that church and state should be separate, but religion and politics have experienced a lover’s quarrel throughout history. We will look at Pope Leo XIV as an example. While the course has a Christian biblical slant, it will be of general interest. All viewpoints are welcome. The instructor will facilitate class discussion of five or six pages of assigned readings from his unpublished manuscript during each class. Students are encouraged to bring personal experience to bear. Seating will model a class oval.

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.

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.

Come and enjoy stress melting away with the deep relaxation of Lisa’s guidance that will be integrated with recordings of great contemporary spiritual teachers such as Alan Watts, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle and Shinzen Young. The focus will be on cultivating equanimity with challenging circumstances, both personal and collective, and connecting to your own inner resources for letting go when holding on is too difficult. This focus also greatly helps with accessing and trusting your inner wisdom and intuition for healing and peace of body and mind. No previous experience with meditation is necessary. No specific belief system is necessary. 

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.

As organized religion has rapidly declined in the last 50 years, the Baha’i community has experienced an 800% increase in growth. We will explore the dramatic shifts in the under- reported contemporary story of the decline in organized religion and what insights the Baha’i faith is offering and modeling as a catalyst for religion to become a cooperative, constructive agent for social change and global community. Reasons for the decline in organized religion will be examined from the perspective of former congregants, members, academics and the Baha’i community model. There will be ample time for discussion prompted by a sequence of sequential framing questions. The class will use a Keynote format and recorded guest lectures by pundits, such as David Brooks.

Join the Godfather for an offer you can’t refuse on improving your communication skills! About 45 minutes of “The Godfather” will be shown in the first session and referenced in the following sessions. Vito Corleone is the world’s foremost expert on clear messaging. The resulting discussion will center on managing the principles of people, place, perspective, power, peerage and preparation. The instructor has experience in using these principles to improve communication, and he will use them to direct discussions. There will be some directed homework.

This is neither a current events class nor a place to debate politics. The course is an attempt to present a history of Jewish anti-Zionism since its origins in the late 19th century. What anti-Zionism is will be explored and discussed, as well as whether its current growth represents a schism or merely a dissenting political ideological current within the American Jewish community. (Only future historians will be able to reach any conclusions.) The relative merits of Zionism and anti-Zionism will not be debated, and whether anti-Zionism is antisemitism will not be discussed. (It isn’t!) The history and nature of Jewish anti-Zionism will be analyzed and discussed as an intellectual, religious and social movement.

NOTE: Short readings of material that can be found online will be assigned.

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.

“This Vast Enterprise,” by Craig Fehrman, is a recently published work that examines the Lewis and Clark expedition in the light of some new discoveries with a focus on historical detail that is unprecedented. We learn a great deal about the lives and characters of many of the members of the expedition and the innumerable trials and crises they endured. We also delve into the politics of the Jeffersonian period, read of the differences among Native American tribes, and get a deeper understanding of Lewis, Clark, Sacajawea and many leaders of the tribes they met. The class will be a group discussion, and students are encouraged to bring their own questions and issues to the group.

NOTE: The required text is “This Vast Enterprise,” by Craig Fehrman, from Avid Reader Press, April 2026. It is $35 in hardcover and is available at Bloomsbury Books at a 20% discount. Audio and e-book editions are acceptable. No previous knowledge of the subject is required.

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. 

Wild writing is about coming home to ourselves, a loose and freeing technique to write about what is authentic in our lives. It’s a safe harbor where members will write to prompts from three easily understood poems. The instructor will read a poem, offer a few jump-off lines, read the poem again, and ask students to write as freely as possible with the pen never leaving the page — just say yes to whatever arises. Participants will write for up to 15 minutes per poem, and then they will read what they have written. Students will listen to one another without any comment, critique or cross talk. What’s written in the room will stay in the room. It’s a come-as-you-are party, whether one has lots of creative writing experience or none, a place where perfectionism is left at the door. 

NOTE: New poems and prompts will be offered this term, so previous students are welcome to take the course again.