50+ >> Art & Music

On vacation, many travelers take photo's; some keep a diary of their impressions. But, a sketch of what you see and feel when experiencing the moment can provide a long-lasting record that stimulates your "play-back" description. This course provides students of all levels an opportunity to practice sketching impressions, on the spot and from photo's, along with instructor demonstration and instruction. At first, a pencil and sketchpad will be used to capture stationary objects then, we will graduate to create movement of shapes and finally, add sensory impressions. As confidence increases, students will be encouraged to add pastel, ink or water color to complement the memory of movement. There will be plenty of opportunity to experience inside and outside the classroom. You may find a masterpiece grow out of your thumbnail sketch with time and instructor oversight. This sketch may be all you want or need to tell the story of your experience.  

Have you ever watched a cartoon and wondered: How did they make this? How do they make the characters move? This class is designed to enhance understanding of the art of animation! This course will introduce how animated film has evolved from its beginnings, the history and work behind some of the world's greatest animated classics, as well as view films and animated shorts from various time periods.

Night and the city; hard boiled detectives and sinister femme fatales; damaged heroes and innocent ingenues. These are some of the ingredients that make up one of the most original genres in American film history. From the early 1940s to the late 1950s these mostly low budget black and white films captured the cynicism and disillusionment of post World War II America, while at the same time introducing some of the most skilled directors and most iconic actors of the 20th century (Humphrey Bogart, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum, Barbara Stanwyck, and Ava Gardner). This course will analyze some of the most well known films of this period, beginning with "Double Indemnity" and including such classics as "The Big Sleep," "The Killers," and "Out of the Past." So grab your old trenchcoat and join us for a visit to the dark side of the big city streets. 

This course covers a comprehensive procedure for drawing a portrait.  During the course, students will study the features and structures that make up the human face, the importance of proportion, and learn how to effectively and accurately depict them on paper.  Some drawing experience is preferred but not required. 

This course will cover the basic fundamentals of drawing in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. We will cover line drawing, composition, proportion, perspective, value and other basics. By the end of the course, students should be able to see and accurately replicate shapes and forms, use light and shadow for effect, and depict simple drawings suitable for display.

This course will be a "gentle" beginning for those who wish to start learning how to listen to opera in the more contemporary format. We will hear operatic works by Copland, Ward, Britten and Barber among other living composers, and begin to listen for the elements that either relate to or replace the more familiar literature of famous operatic composers of earlier centuries.  No text is required and all are welcome to join in the adventure of exploring opera in today's world!