Art & Music

Upcoming Courses

Courses

'Blooming Girls' Painting & Collage Workshop

Join us for an afternoon of creating abstract floral paintings. Richmond artist Theodora Miller will share her inspirational story from brain injury to full-time artist, as well as the valuable life lesson growing orchids taught her. You will explore painterly brushstrokes and learn how to collage with colorful paint chips to create two 'Blooming Girls' paintings on the prettiest handmade cotton paper. All supplies will be provided. Fees for this class are non-refundable.

No session is currently available for registration

An Afternoon of Tenor Favorites

Come join your Osher colleagues for a wonderful afternoon of fabulous music. Internationally-known opera singer Tracey Welborn will be joined by pianist Dr. Charles Staples in a variety of favorites from the opera and song repertoire. You're sure to hear at least one of your favorites!

No session is currently available for registration

Audubon's America: Wild Times

A young man in a young nation, John James Audubon had the ambitious goal of painting all the birds of America, life-sized. He labored without success for years, suffering personal rejection and financial ruin, as he discovered new species, studied their habits, and left a warning for future generations. This course will focus on Audubon's life and world, a time of explosive growth and rapid scientific and technological change.

Tuesdays 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (1 seats (3%) remaining)

Brush to Rice Paper: Asian Ink Painting

Come learn to paint the basic four subjects of orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and plum tree. Students will cultivate creativity, new mysterious ink painting ideas with rice paper, and radical constraint, but the brushwork remains in the heart as a story and symbol of things. Asian ink paintings enable students to know and appreciate beautiful East Asian art. The methods help develop a better cultural exchange, understanding of culture, and respect for the diversity of lifestyles.

Wednesdy & Thursday 5/10 & 11. Meets 10-11:30a and 1-2:30p on both days (there is a 1.5 hour break in the between each day), GOTW, Room C114 ( No seats currently available )

Chain Maille - Twisted Ring Bracelet

The Twisted Ring Bracelet utilizes a specialty ring made with both yellow gold-filled and sterling silver wire in a twisted pattern. This is wonderful for a charm bracelet or can stand just on its own. It is truly beautiful and unique. This is a beginner weave. All supplies and tools to borrow will be supplied; you should bring good eyesight and sense of humor (and a pinch of patience).

Tuesdays 4/25 and 5/2, TBD - UR Campus

Chain Maille: Earrings

Join us in making four different pair of sterling silver chain maille earrings for pierced ears. Two styles will be done in each class and be ready to wear when you leave the room. Instructor's choice: it will be a surprise! All supplies will be provided, so just bring your good eyesight and patience.

No session is currently available for registration

Children in Art

How do artists depict children in their art works? Are they merely miniature adults or do they possess a quality or character of their own? Join us in this interactive session to see how American artists have rendered children over the decades and how these images can reflect our social and cultural views of childhood.

Thursday May 18th, Synchronous Online

Come . . . and BeMoved®!

Learn about the long-term health benefits of just moving! Different musical and dance style such as Bollywood, jazz, Latin and disco are used to inspire participants to embrace dance as a lifelong means to health, joy and fulfillment.

Jan 23, 30, Feb 20, 27, Mar 6, 13, 20, 27, Apr 3, 10, 17, 24 (skip Feb 6, 13), THC, Alice Haynes Room ( No seats currently available )

Come . . . and BeMoved®!

Learn about the long-term health benefits of just moving! Different musical and dance style such as Bollywood, jazz, Latin and disco are used to inspire participants to embrace dance as a lifelong means to health, joy and fulfillment.

No session is currently available for registration

Cool Flicks: More of the Greatest Comedies

Join Dan Begley in the quest for the funniest movies of all time. This fall we will watch and discuss these classics: 'The Apartment (1960) film by Billy Wilder with Jack Lemmon, 'The Awful Truth' (1937) film by Leo McCarey with Cary Grant, and 'The Palm Beach Story' (1942) film by Preston Sturgis with Henry Fonda.

Fridays 3/31, 4/7, 4/14, BML, Adams Auditorium ( No seats currently available )

Cool Flicks: More of the Greatest Comedies

Join Dan to watch and enjoy these three comedies: '1776' (a musical and comedy), 'One, Two, Three' produced by Billy Wilder and starring James Cagney, and 'To Be or Not To Be' with Jack Benny and Carole Lombard.

No session is currently available for registration

Country Truth: An Appreciation for Lyricists of Country Music

Songs, essentially poems that are sung, can unite humans with their rhythm, artistry, stories, and universal truths. We'll study several songwriters of country music, a genre that is often overlooked by literary scholars who may not realize the sophistication and wisdom of these writers of truth. We'll look at Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and John Prine.

Monday and Wednesday 4/17, 4/19, 4/24, 4/26, Synchronous Online

Explore China: Golden Lotus Feet

What woman doesn't love shoes?! They tell the viewer if you are into fashion, comfort, adventure, or pain. Golden Lotus feet/shoes were the most desirable by wealthy Chinese men; it didn't matter if you were beautiful. We will explore the beauty and pain that was passed down from one generation to the next through the ancient tradition of foot binding.

Thursday 4/20, GOTW, Auditorium Room A001

Express Yourself and Share Your Passion

This workshop will encourage you to share your hobby, special interest, or talent with the Osher Community in a fun setting. Murray Ellison will emcee these activities, pre-arranging for participants to sign up and share their inspirations or creations of poetry, literature, music, singing, art, photography, storytelling, or whatever! Everyone volunteering to sign up will be encouraged to share their passions or talents, but this will not be required.

No session is currently available for registration

Friday Films

Join us for four delightful movies. Two are touching stories: 'Nobody's Fool,' adapted from Richard Russo's novel, with a fine performance by Paul Newman; and 'Monsieur Ibrahim,' starring Omar Sharif (in French, with subtitles). The two comedies are Elaine May's wonderful 'A New Leaf,' starring Walter Matthau; and 'The Ladykillers,' a lovely, slightly dark comedy from Ealing Studios starring Alec Guinness.

No session is currently available for registration

History of the Garth Newel Music Center

Executive Director Shawn Puller will share the history and stories surrounding the founding of the Garth Newel Music Center as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

No session is currently available for registration

How Attending a Kristallnacht Ceremony Changed My Life and Career

Come and hear about an epiphany that changed a Christian writer's life and work, resulting in three literary works about the Holocaust, multiple trips to Israel and Lithuania, American embassy speaking engagements, a book tour at the invitation of two US ambassadors, and two plays.

Mondays 3/27 and 4/3, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162

How to View and Understand Art

Does the thought of visiting an art gallery or museum make you nervous? Come to this lively and entertaining presentation and learn how to 'speak' the language of art while viewing art works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the VMFA. Build your visual vocabulary by examining the deliberate choices artists make in their works and why they make these choices. Learn how to be comfortable viewing art and talking about art with others.

No session is currently available for registration

Let It Be, and Get Back to Abbey Road, Part 1

FILM VIEWING When The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, the recording studio became the band's playground. From 1967-1969, the band recorded and released five unique and highly praised albums. Our class will focus on the path that led to the recording of their last studio album, Abbey Road. We'll watch the original documentary 'Let It Be,' capturing The Beatles at work preparing songs for the album and offering an impromptu concert on the rooftop of Apple Records.

Monday, April 10, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162

Let It Be, and Get Back to Abbey Road, Part 2

When The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, the recording studio became the band's playground. From 1967-1969, the band recorded and released five unique and highly praised albums. Our class will focus on the path that led to the recording of their last studio album, Abbey Road. Having viewed the documentary in Part 1, we'll delve into an in-depth discussion of Abbey Road in this Part 2.

Tuesday, April 11, BUS, Ukrop Auditorium Q162

National Osher Online: History of Photography

This course will cover the history of photography from its inception to contemporary work.

Mondays, April 3, 10, 17, 24, May 1, 8, Synchronous Online

Outdoor and Wildlife Photography

Let's explore outdoor and wildlife photography around Richmond and Virginia. The presentation will provide local photographs, information on places to go, the right time of day and conditions to take your best photos. Come learn non-technical tips on taking photos with cameras ranging from an iPhone to other camera types. We'll end with an overview and photos of Richmond's urban wildlife populations from some easily accessible locations and the best times to view them.

Tuesday 4/4, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (5 seats (11%) remaining)

Picasso's Women and the Art They Inspired

This class pays tribute to the women behind Picasso's art and how they shaped his artistic development. There were several, spanning his entire career.

Wednesdays; 3/01, 3/08, 3/15, 3/22 & 3/29, Synchronous Online

Poetry and Music and Participant Poetry Workshops

Join us as we look at 18 poets, 1850-present, two per session. We will also spend time on participant poems and on poems from the presenter's new chapbook, On Sunday Afternoons. Topics will include syntax, line, beat, meter, word, image, voice, and feel. Discussions will focus on poetry of Merwin, Dickinson, Collins, Stevens, Grennan, Eliot, Ashbery, Yeats, Baraka, Williams, Komunyakaa, Whitman, Graham, Walcott, Creeley, Frost, Brooks and Bishop.

Thursdays; 2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30, 4/6, 4/13, 4/20, Booker Hall, Room 207

Sun Quartets to Black Angels: A Survey of the String Quartet

The string quartet -- the combination of two violins, viola, and cello -- has been called 'the most perfect expression of human behavior.' We will examine the 250+ year history and development of the string quartet, and how it became a medium for many composers' most intimate and profound utterances.

Thursdays 3/23 - 5/4 **SKIPPING 4/6**, WHC, Living Room (Deanery) (5 seats (14%) remaining)

Telling America's Stories Through Art: Contemporary Times

Artists depict the cultural, social and political climate of their times. How can their artworks enrich our understanding of the American experience? Using Smithsonian American Art Museum and VMFA artworks, this session will explore how contemporary artists experience their worlds and depict controversial issues such as terrorism, racism, and immigration.

No session is currently available for registration

The Beatles: Origins, Innovations and Evolution of Their Musical Style

Join us as we track the evolution of the Beatles' music from before the beginning in 1958 to their breakup in 1970.

No session is currently available for registration

The Governor's Mansion: The Art Experience

FIELD TRIP This exhibition features artwork and artifacts that portray the spirit of Virginia: its past, its present, its landscape, and its people. The Art Experience at the Executive Mansion highlights works from a mix of genres and mediums with particular focus on Virginia artists and themes. It is a living display which will evolve and change over time as additional works of art become available and as different parts of the Virginia story become the focus. NOTE: This course is offered twice; please register for only one.

No session is currently available for registration

The History of Animation

There's much more to animated film than cartoons and Walt Disney. In this four-week course, we'll take a look at early animation, Disney and his less known contemporaries, international animation, and modern animation.

No session is currently available for registration

Travel Photography for Alaska

This class is designed to help you take unforgettable images of Alaska.

No session is currently available for registration

Virginia Opera: Wagner's Ring

Richard Wagner's monumental (and controversial) Der Ring des Nibelungen is one of the largest works of Western art. Comprising four epic operas based on Norse mythology, this cycle has profoundly influenced generations of artists including the creators of The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. With Virginia Opera continuing the Ring this fall with Die Walk

No session is currently available for registration
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VMFA Guided Tour of the Whitfield Lovell and Benjamin Wigfall Exhibits

FIELD TRIP Join us for this two-part tour of the VMFA's current exhibits. Be transported by Whitfield Lovell's evocative multisensory installations, conté drawings, and assemblages. 'Whitfield Lovell: Passages' is the most comprehensive exhibition to date of this renowned contemporary artist's works. Then, we'll explore the life and legacy of Richmond native Benjamin Wigfall (1930-2017): artist, educator, and champion of arts equity. Docent-led tour is $20 ($10 for tour, $10 for admission) If you are a VMFA member, please enter this code at checkout for free admission: VMFAMBR23.

No session is currently available for registration