Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education

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Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Lexington
           C O M M U N I T Y E D U C AT I O N

  WINTER

  2023
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
The Art Object:
                                                 Kasamatsu Shirō, Japanese, 1898–1991
                                                 Winter Sky (Fuyu no sora)
                                                 Japanese, Shōwa era, 1965 (Shōwa 40)
                                                 Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
                                                 Vertical ōban; 38.8 × 28.3 cm
                                                 (15 1/4 × 11 1/8 in.)
                                                 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
                                                 Gift of the Anne Gordon Keidel Trust of
                                                 June 2016 2016.1382
                                                 Photograph © December, 2022, Museum
                                                 of Fine Arts, Boston.

N      o matter how elaborate or
       decorative the winter holiday
wrapping, the contents of certain gift
                                                 LCE Online
                                                 Complete course descriptions, class
                                                 status, and registration information
                                                                                                 Table of Contents
boxes are happily known before opening.          can be found online at                          Around Town...................................7
The size and shape of a wrapped and              www.lexingtoncommunityed.org
ribboned package matches the outline                                                             Business and Career.................... 27
of an asked for item, and the anticipation       Lexington Community Education
that comes upon spying the unopened              Director: Craig Hall                            Courses for Children.................... 22
present is satisfying in itself. What we         Program Coordinator: Julian Calleja
wanted was acknowledged and acted                Program Coordinator: Shirley Choy               Computers.................................... 19
on. The gift represents the function             Registrar: Amy Sullivan                         Cooking........................................ 24
of itself (as the instrument sounds, or          Accounts Payable: Deniele Pozz
jewelry shines) and serves as a reminder
                                                 146 Maple Street                                ELL/Languages............................. 16
that even in the harsh winter there is
                                                 Lexington, Massachusetts 02420
warmth, kindness, and abundance. As in                                                           Exercise and Dance..................... 32
                                                 (Access office via 328 Lowell Street)
fabled winter holidays of the past, with
gifts thoughtfully wrapped, this course
                                                 Telephone 781.862.8043                          Fine Arts, Fabric & Graphic Arts.... 14
                                                 Fax 781.863.5829
catalog comes with many offerings and
                                                 LCE@lexingtonma.org                             Home, Hobbies & Travel............. 25
opportunities for mind, body, and spirit. I
hope that you find some things asked for,        www.lexingtoncommunityed.org                    Humanities ......................................8
some things needed, some serious, others         facebook.com/lexingtoncommunityed
less so, and some surprises, too. Recently                                                       LCE Presents....................................3
our instructor Tracy Marks reminded me
                                                 Lexington Public Schools
that in his Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer      Superintendent of Schools:                      Mind and Body............................. 29
Maria Rilke writes, “And the point is, to        Dr. Julie Hackett
                                                 LEXINGTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE
                                                                                                 Music Appreciation...................... 10
live everything. Live the questions now.”
In the pages that follow may you find as         Chair: Sara Cuthbertson                         Music Performance /
                                                 Vice-Chair: Deepika Sawhney
many questions as you do answers. The                                                             Theater Arts............................... 12
questions are often more exciting, and           Larry Freeman
the answers inevitably lead to more good         Eileen Jay                                      Test Preparation/
questions.                                       Kathleen Lenihan                                  College Planning....................... 23
                                                 STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES
We thank you for your participation and
support, and wish you all the best in the
                                                 Grace Ou, Aditi Swamy                           Writing.......................................... 12
year ahead!                                      About Lexington                                 Instructor Biographies...........Online
                                                 Community Education
— Craig Hall, Director
                                                 LCE is a self-sustaining, integral part of      Registration Information.............. 35
Face Masks & In-Person                           the Lexington Public School system that is
                                                 committed to promoting lifelong learning.       Directions...................................... 35
Unless requested to be worn by a specific
LCE instructor in an in-person class setting,    Our programs are open to all regardless         Cancellation and
                                                 of residency and are appropriate for
face masks are now optional. Lexington                                                            Refund Policy............................. 35
Public Schools will follow suit and no           participants 16 years of age and over.
longer require masks.                            Our Classes for Children are for specific
                                                 ages. LCE provides an extensive summer
                                                 children’s program called Lexplorations
                                                 which offers classes for creative and        Catalog Design: Pehlke Design
                                                 academic enrichment.

 2     LexingtonCommunityEd.org      |   781.862.8043
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Lexington Community Education presents

Soirées Musicales: A Multimedia                                       Capturing Genius:
Piano Duo Concert & Exploration                                       Poets, Jazz and Film
of French Fine Art                                                    WITH FILMMAKER HENRY FERRINI & JAZZ HISTORIAN/
                                                                      MUSICIAN LEWIS PORTER, PH.D.
WITH LEONA CHEUNG & TANYA BLAICH AND
                                                                      Friday, March 3, 2023 • 7:30-9:00 pm • Lexington Depot, 13
COMMENTARY BY NANCY SCOTT
                                                                      Depot Square, Lexington, MA • $15 • SAMA
Friday, February 24, 2023 • 7:30 pm • Follen Church Society, 755
                                                                                                      Over the last 25 years Gloucester
Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA • $20 • SPDF
                                                                                                      based independent filmmaker
French piano duets in the 19th Century contributed greatly to                                         Henry Ferrini’s work has focused
the genre of “piano four hands” (à quatre mains), which involves                                      on what Jack Kerouac called “the
two pianists playing on the same piano simultaneously. Leading                                        great continent of New England.”
composers Claude Debussy and Cécile Chaminade wrote a                                                 His interest in cultural geography
stunning body of work in this genre. Both pianists themselves,                                        has taken him to working-class
Debussy was representative of French Impressionist music in the                                       communities throughout the
late 19th Century, and Chaminade was the first woman composer                                         industrial Northeast, unearthing
to win the Légion d’Honneur, the highest French order of merit.                                       material most would overlook.
In this Soirées Musicales program, pianists Leona Cheung and                                          Ferrini’s films do not follow the
Tanya Blaich will be presenting a diverse set of French four-hand                                     conventional patterns of a biography
Piano Miniatures by Claude Debussy and Cécile Chaminade.              documentary. He employs a lyrical, impressionist approach that
Though short in duration, some of these pieces fully employ           allows for a greater exploration of the subject’s philosophies,
the virtuosity of two pianists and weave sonic worlds that are        thoughts, and ideas. Ferrini calls his work “film poems.”
complete, lush, and ethereal. Art expert Nancy Scott will offer
                                                                                  Lewis Porter is the author of “Playback with Lewis
commentary on 19th Century French art that are contemporary
                                                                                  Porter,” a jazz newsletter on Substack, as well as two
to these duets and provide insights on the mutual influence
                                                                                  acclaimed books on John Coltrane and numerous
between the music and the art works.
                                                                                  other publications. He’s a longtime jazz professor with
              Tanya Blaich is a pianist and teacher with particular               a PhD in musicology from Brandeis, and taught at
              sensitivity for and expertise in the song and           Tufts, Rutgers, and other schools and will be at NEC this spring.
              collaborative piano repertoire. A faculty member        As a pianist, he has appeared on 35 albums with Terri Lyne
              of New England Conservatory’s collaborative piano       Carrington, John Patitucci, Tia Fuller, Dave Liebman, and many
              and voice departments since 2006, Blaich is co-         others, and performed with many jazz “stars” across the USA and
coordinator of NEC’s Liederabend Series. Blaich has been              Europe and here in Lexington.
praised for her “unfailingly expressive and finely judged”
                                                                      This evening will include discussion between Porter and Ferrini
playing (The Guardian) and her “distinct and refined palette and
                                                                      on topics of jazz, poetry, film and creativity with clips from Ferrini
textures” and “unwaveringly attentive” ensemble (Opera Today).
                                                                      films including Lowell Blues (about Jack Kerouac), Polis is This-
She has performed in concert venues and festivals throughout
                                                                      Charles Olson and the Persistence of Place, and Ferrini’s current
the United States, Europe, and Russia.
                                                                      project called President of Beauty: The Life and Times of Lester
              Leona Cheung is a Boston-based collaborative            Young.
              pianist. Cheung is especially known for her musical
              leadership and responsiveness. Her collaborators
              include conductors and singers from the GRAMMY®
              nominated Seraphic Fire, Handel and Haydn Society,
and Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Cheung’s deep devotion to
the art song repertoire has brought her to perform in festivals
in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Austria.
She obtained her Master of Music and Graduate Diploma in
Collaborative Piano from New England Conservatory.
                                                                          The views of our presenters and instructors do not necessarily
              Nancy Scott is Professor Emerita of Fine Arts,              represent the views of Lexington Community Education, the
              Art History at Brandeis University. Her expertise is        Lexington Public Schools and/or its employees.
              Modernism in Europe and America and painting and
              sculpture from the French Revolution to the mid-20th
              century including artists from David and Delacroix to
Manet, Monet, Renoir and then the post-impressionists. Scott                                   LCE is proud to partner with
is affiliated with the Master of Arts Program in Comparative                                   Maxima Book Center in Lexington.
Humanities, the Interdepartmental Program in European Cultural                                 www.maximacenter.com
Studies, and the Dept of Romance Studies, School of Arts and
Sciences, Brandeis University.

                                                                                    Lexington Community Education      |   Winter 2023     3
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Saints and Sinners in the Sky:                                           Discovering Marcel Proust’s novel,
Astronomy, Religion and Art in                                           In Search of Lost Time, through
Western Culture                                                          the Senses
WITH MICHAEL MENDILLO                                                    WITH HOLLIE HARDER
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 • 7:00-8:30 pm • Lexington Depot, 13           Tuesday, February 28, 2023 • 7:00-8:30 pm • Lexington Depot,
Depot Square • $15 • SSSS                                                13 Depot Square • $15 • SISN
                           Saints and Sinners in the Sky—a new                                           Why is Proust often called the
                           book by Boston University Professor of                                        greatest French writer, comparable
                           Astronomy Michael Mendillo—takes                                              to England’s Shakespeare, Spain’s
                           readers deep into the annals of history,                                      Cervantes or Argentina’s Borges?
                           showing how visual depictions of the                                          How can Proust’s seven-tome novel,
                           heavens evolved in tandem with science,                                       which, in places, explores the seamy
                           art and religion throughout much of                                           undersides of human existence,
                           Western culture. Saints and Sinners in                                        have the reputation of being a witty,
                           the Sky is written for the layperson. It is                                   enchanting, and philosophical book
                           a lively and engaging narrative, one that                                     that lends readers a distinctive
                           will make readers look up at the sky in                                       “Proustian lens” through which
                           an entirely new way, seeing things that                                       to see life in fundamentally new
intrigued scientists, religious leaders, artists and everyday people     and innovative ways? In this discussion, we will look together at
for thousands of years.                                                  Proust’s work by examining passages where sensory descriptions
            Michael Mendillo was born and raised in Providence,          illustrate and animate major themes in the novel and spark
            Rhode Island. He did his undergraduate work at               exemplary Proustian experiences of the beauty, depth, and
            Providence College (Bachelor of Science in Physics,          complexity of everyday life. While unable to capture the entire
            1966) and his graduate studies at Boston University,         range of this magnum opus, this short introduction will enable
            receiving his Ph.D. in physics and astronomy in 1971,        readers to understand the essential modernity of this 100-year-
with Michael D. Papagiannis as his dissertation advisor. After           old book, the fundamental elements of the human condition that
two years as a National Academy of Science/National Research             it showcases, and the pertinence that the work still has today.
Council postdoctoral research associate at the Air Force                              Hollie Harder is Professor of French and
Cambridge Research Laboratory, he joined the Boston University                        Francophone Studies at Brandeis University, where
faculty in 1973. Professor Mendillo teaches graduate courses                          she teaches all levels of French literature, language
in space physics; at the undergraduate level he specializes in                        and culture. She has published on Émile Zola in
courses for non-science majors. He currently teaches sections of                      Nineteenth-Century French Studies (“The Woman
the physical science course in the College of Arts and Sciences’         Beneath: The femme de marbre in Zola’s La Faute de l’abbé
Core Curriculum.                                                         Mouret”) and on Marcel Proust in Modern Language Studies
                                                                         (“Proust’s Novel Confections: Françoise’s Cooking and Marcel’s
                                                                         Book”), in The Cambridge Companion to Proust (“Proust’s
                                                                         Human Comedy”)and in French Forum (“On the Beach and in
                                                                         the Boudoir: Albertine as an Amazon Figure in Marcel Proust’s In
                                                                         Search of Lost Time). She leads the Proust Reading Group and
                                                                         the Proust Selected Studies Group at the Boston Athenaeum and
                                                                         she teaches courses on Proust at the Brandeis Osher Lifelong
                                                                         Learning Institute (BOLLI).

     Regardless of residency, Lexington Community Education
       online classes, lessons, and events are Open to All.

 4     LexingtonCommunityEd.org      |   781.862.8043
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
The Long-Lasting Power of Past                                        Playing in the Shadow of
                      Lives, Passions, and Punk Rock                                        Roberto Clemente: Afro-Latinos
                      WITH NANCY BARILE                                                     and America’s Game
                      Thursday, February 16, 2023 • 7:00-8:30 pm • Zoom • $15 • SNHC
                                                                                            WITH ADRIAN BURGOS, JR.
                                               Born and raised in a suburb of
                                                                                            Thursday, March 2, 2023 • 7:00-8:00 pm • Zoom • $15 • SBRC
                                               Philadelphia, Nancy Barile, an 8th
                                               generation Benjamin Franklin grandchild,                                      Roberto Clemente was a Puerto
                                               went from disenchanted Catholic                                               Rican born baseball player who
                                               schoolgirl and glam maniac to instigator                                      played 18 seasons in the Major
                                               in Philly’s 1980’s gritty and burgeoning                                      Leagues for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
                                               punk scene. Nancy discovered freedom                                          He was one of the most influential
                                               at a time when punk music was new and                                         people in the incorporation of Latin
                                               dangerous. She moved to Center City                                           American players breaking through
                                               in 1979, and her stories of Philadelphia                                      the color barrier and joining the
                                               in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s will bring                                    Major Leagues. Clemente was not
                                               back memories for those who were there,                                       only a leader on the field, but he
                      and open a door to an exciting and creative era for those who                                          also spent a lot of his time doing
                      weren’t. Working at a staid law firm in the PSFS building by day,                                      charity work in Latin America
                      and experiencing the vibrant but sometimes dangerous Philly           and the Caribbean where he would bring food and baseball
                      music scene by night, Nancy found her place behind the boards         equipment to those in need. Unfortunately, Clemente died in a
                      and right in the front row as musical artists from David Bowie,       plane crash on one of his philanthropic missions in 1972 at the
                      Queen, and Patti Smith to Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Dead          age of 38. The example he set both on and off the field have
                      Kennedys, broke down walls and made history. She survived             continued over the years to have a lasting impact on Afro-Latino
                      punk riots and urban decay, ran the streets of Philadelphia with a    players.
                      crew of like-minded rebels, and ultimately found true love, as she                 Adrian Burgos, Jr. is a History Professor at the
                      fought for fairness, became empowered, embraced the do-it-                         University of Illinois specializing in US Latino history,
                      yourself work ethic, and found her purpose. Nancy will describe                    sports history, urban history, and African American
                      how she now draws from her punk rock experiences to help fuel                      history. Many of his publications focus on the
                      her career as a National Board Certified, award-winning high                       incorporation of Spanish-speaking baseball players
                      school English Language Arts teacher in a Boston-area school.         into the Major Leagues throughout history. His first book, Playing
                                             Nancy Barile is a National Board               America’s Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line, analyzes
                                                                                            the incorporation of players from the Spanish-speaking Americas
PHOTO: RIKKI ERCOLI

                                             Certified, award-winning high school
                                             English Language Arts teacher, an Adjunct      into U.S. professional baseball to illuminate the working of
                                             Professor, writer, and author of I’m Not       baseball’s color line. His second book Cuban Star: How One
                                             Holding Your Coat: My Bruises-and-All          Negro League Owner Changed the Face of Baseball, takes
                      Memoir of Punk Rock Rebellion available at bazillionpoints.com.       interest in race and baseball integration further as it explores
                      She lives outside Boston with her husband Al Barile and Flippy        what it means to be black and brown in the United States
                      the Beagle.                                                           through Alejandro “Alex” Pompez’s life story, an Afro-Cuban-
                                                                                            American who went from a Negro League team owner and
                                                                                            Harlem numbers king to a Major League scout that opened the
                                                                                            Dominican talent pipeline.

                                                                                                          Lexington Community Education     |   Winter 2023     5
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
STEPHEN COLLINS AND POORNIMA KIRBY PRESENT
                                                                         I Spill My Bright Incalculable Soul:
A Christmas Carol                                                        A Participatory Event
BY CHARLES DICKENS
                                                                         HOSTED BY TRACY MARKS
Saturday, December 17, 2022 • 3:00-4:30 pm • Follen Church
Society, 755 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA • $15 • SACC               Wednesday, February 8, 2023 • 7:00-9:00 pm • Zoom • $10 • SBIS
“I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of                              In this interactive event on zoom,
all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that                             you will have the opportunity to read
they teach.” — Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol                                                  or recite a poem or literary excerpt
                                                                                                   which is deeply meaningful to you. In a
                                                Join actors Stephen
                                                                                                   supportive environment, you may share
                                                Collins and
                                                                                                   why the piece you have chosen speaks
                                                Poornima Kirby for
                                                                                                   to you, and why it might, hopefully,
                                                a performance of
                                                                                                   also inspire others. Each participant will
                                                Dickens’s A Christmas
                                                                                                   have 2-5 minutes, depending upon the
                                                Carol adapted for
                                                                                                   number of attendees. Please register at
                                                two performers by
                                                                                                   least 24 hours in advance. Final details
                                                Poornima Kirby.
                                                                                                   will be emailed to registrants the night
                                                Stephen will portray
                                                                         beforehand. Limited to 40.
                                                both the young and
older Scrooge. Poornima will portray the ghosts as well as Bob                      Tracy Marks has authored four books in three
Cratchit and other characters. Join us for a dramatic retelling                     editions, translated into nine languages, and has
(including carols and dance) that resonates with the holiday                        been teaching literature, creative writing and
season and displays the regenerative power of the human spirit.                     computer graphics courses to adults for 39 years. She
                                                                                    is also a licensed psychotherapist, published poet,
Stephen J. Collins grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts and
                                                                         professional photographer and active seller on both eBay and
received a BA in Literature from UMass Boston. He teaches
                                                                         Amazon.
seminars on Whitman, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Robert Frost,
and contemporary poetry at locations throughout the Boston
area and also works as a professionally licensed tour guide.
                                                                         The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The
Poornima Kirby has taught acting and theater arts at the Nirmal
Arts Academy in Canajoharie, NY, as well as coaching privately           Quest to Crack an Ancient Code
in acting techniques, Shakespeare, and movement. She studied             WITH MARGALIT FOX
at Shakespeare and Co. and the London Academy of Music and               Thursday, March 9, 2023 • 7:00-8:30 pm • Zoom • $15 • SROL
Dramatic Arts, and received her B.A. in Drama, with honors, from
                                                                                      The Riddle of the Labyrinth: The Quest to Crack an
Vassar College.
                                                                                      Ancient Code tells one of the most intriguing stories
                                                                                      in the history of language, masterfully blending
                                                                                      history, linguistics, and cryptology with an elegantly
                                                                                      wrought narrative. When famed archaeologist
                                                                         Arthur Evans unearthed the ruins of a sophisticated Bronze Age
                                                                         civilization that flowered on Crete 1,000 years before Greece’s
                                                                         Classical Age, he discovered a cache of ancient tablets, Europe’s
                                                                         earliest written records. For half a century, the meaning of the
                                                                         inscriptions, and even the language in which they were written,
                                                                         would remain a mystery. Join award-winning New York Times
                                                                         journalist Margalit Fox as she explores this riveting real-life
     GIVE THE GIFT OF LEARNING!                                          intellectual detective story that travels from the Bronze Age
                                                                         Aegean—the era of Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Helen—to
     Whether it be for a specific class or event, or a general
                                                                         the turn of the 20th century and the work of charismatic English
     certificate for a program of the recipient’s choice, the
                                                                         archeologist Arthur Evans, to the colorful personal stories of the
     experience of learning is always a smart gift. LCE Gift             decipherers including Michael Ventris, the brilliant amateur who
     certificates do not expire and can be applied to any and            deciphered the script but met with a sudden, mysterious death
     all of our offerings, year round. Call 781-862-8043, or             that may have been a direct consequence of the decipherment;
     email lce@lexingtonma.org for more information.                     and Alice Kober, the unsung heroine of the story whose
                                                                         painstaking work allowed Ventris to crack the code.

 6     LexingtonCommunityEd.org      |   781.862.8043
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Around Town

What’s Your Story? Memoir                                                                    CARY LECTURE SERIES PRESENTS:

Writing for Everyone
                                                                            The Art of Conversation with Meghna Chakrabarti
WITH MEGAN ST. MARIE, PRESIDENT OF MODERN
                                                                            Saturday, March 18, 2023, 8:00 PM at Cary Memorial Hall
MEMOIRS, INC.
Thursday, January 26, 2023 • 7:00-8:30 pm • Zoom • $15 • SWYS               Safeguarding the Mental and Behavioral Health
                                 What will be lost when we’re               of a City with Dr. Kevin Simon, Chief Behavioral
                                 no longer here to tell our                 Health Officer, City of Boston
                                 stories? Incidental yet important
                                                                            Saturday, April 22, 2023, 8:00 PM at Cary Memorial Hall
                                 information: insights, personalities,
                                 jokes, favorite recipes, genealogies.      Cary Lectures are free to all and tickets are not required.
                                 On a more subtle level, gone will          While normally able to accommodate all who wish to attend,
                                 be the living connection between           in the very rare case where there may not be sufficient seats,
                                 past, future, and present. Creating        preference will be given to Lexington residents. Come early
                                 a memoir is an opportunity to              for the best seat!
                                 engage in a dynamic process of
                                                                            For more information visit: https://carylectureseries.org/
                                 recollection and integration, one
                                 that can deepen and expand
our own lives and those of generations to come. Memoirs
underscore connection and the singularly human tradition                   NEW   Voices on the Green at First Parish
of telling our stories to our closest group. The memoirist can            Founded in 2016 as a community-building event, Voices on the
present his or her interior as well as exterior life, with details that   Green is a series of live music, storytelling and speaking events
allow the reader to dive in. Whether or not it is accompanied by          which are centered around a common theme. Three times per
e-books or other technology-dependent media, the printed and              year musicians, storytellers and presenters come together to
bound memoir is an intimate encounter. And it’s easily archival,          share their diverse perspectives and explore meanings at the
personally insightful, and important as a document of history             intersection of a common theme. Voices on the Green has proven
and heart. In addition to reflecting on the art and importance            to be a beloved community event with audiences typically at 200
of memoir with examples from her company’s archive, Modern                or more. Programs begin at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30) at First
Memoirs President Megan St. Marie will guide participants                 Parish in Lexington, 7 Harrington Road on the Battle Green.
through a series of writing prompts that will invite them to draw         Upcoming shows: February 5, 2023 and May 5, 2023. For more
on their own memories and family histories. The goal will be to           on themes and updated information visit voicesonthegreen.org
demonstrate how engaging in memoir writing and life-review
work can be a means of fostering self-discovery and deepening
familial connections. Participants will be encouraged, but not
required, to share their work as time permits.
Megan St. Marie is president and co-owner of Modern
Memoirs, Inc., a full-service publishing company in Amherst, MA.
She earned her MA in Children’s Literature at Simmons University,
where she held adjunct and contract faculty appointments from
2003 to 2020. A sabbatical devoted to writing projects inspired
by her Franco American and Irish heritage planted the seeds for
Megan’s move to Modern Memoirs in 2019, when she and her
husband, Sean St. Marie, purchased the company from founder,
Kitty Axelson-Berry. Under the name Megan Dowd Lambert,
Megan continues to work as an author, reviewer, and consultant
in the field of children’s literature, where her work is rooted in
a passion for helping others share and respond to stories. This           LexMedia Production Classes, this page.
experience translates into Megan’s commitment to help Modern
Memoirs clients create the beautiful books they envision,                 Media Production Classes at LexMedia
whether they are memoirs and family histories published under
                                                                          All classes at LexMedia are free and available to people who
the main company name, or other sorts of books (poetry, essays,
                                                                          live, work or attend school in Lexington. For more information
microhistories, etc.) published under the imprint, White Poppy
                                                                          and to sign up for a class go to https://www.lexmedia.org/
Press.
                                                                          events-classes/. LexMedia is a membership-based non-profit
                                                                          community access media center serving the town of Lexington,
.                                                                         Massachusetts.

                                                                                         Lexington Community Education   |   Winter 2023     7
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Humanities

Each term our humanities section                                                                      how each shapes our enjoyment and
offers classes that aim to heighten our                                                               understanding. Handouts will be provided.
understanding of the human experience                                                                 HRIT, 1 Thursday, 7:00-8:30 pm. Meets
and honor the idea and ideals of a liberal                                                            February 2, Hybrid: LCE Classroom or
arts education.                                                                                       Zoom, $25.
NEW Public Art: Its History—                                                                           NEW Alfred Hitchcock:
and Many Current Forms and                                                                            Why Do All Film Directors
Expressions                                                                                           Study His Movies?
Instructor: Paul Angiolillo                                                                           Instructor: Lewis Porter, Ph.D.
Sculpture and other public art has been                                                               Among laypersons, Hitchcock (1899-
making the headlines a lot lately: revered                                                            1980) is probably still the most famous
monuments have been toppled, with                                                                     director in film history (with the possible
contemporary sculptures replacing them,         Paul Angiolillo teaches Public Art: Its History–and   exception of Steven Spielberg). But
political statements appear on traditional      Many Current Forms and Expressions, this page.        among filmmakers he is also probably
billboards and projected onto buildings,                                                              the one who has had the most impact on
temporary, environmental-themed art             NEW Taking a Greek Odyssey                            other directors. Why? Largely because
“pops up” in urban plazas and fine new          with Homer                                            of the sheer artistry that he brought to
works of traditional commemorative                                                                    the movies. There is tremendous variety
                                                Instructor: Tracy Marks
sculpture are commissioned. Whatever                                                                  in his films and Psycho was absolutely
your take on these diverse expressions,         Whether or not you read Homer’s Odyssey
                                                                                                      atypical, even if it’s the one most people
one thing is clear: they’re playing an          in high school, your life experience as an
                                                                                                      think of. In fact, he did not make horror
important role in our society. We’ll take       adult can help you more meaningfully
                                                                                                      or mystery films--rather, he said they
a wide-ranging look at public art--             appreciate its language, story, characters
                                                                                                      were “suspense” films, which he defined
monumental, political, environmental,           and themes. Most of all, you are likely to
                                                                                                      in a very specific way. In this unique
whimsical, “art for art’s sake,” and more.      find personal meaning in the adventures
                                                                                                      presentation, you will see the same scene
What makes them succeed or not? Where           and trials of Odysseus, who faces many
                                                                                                      as directed by Hitchock and by another
is the art form headed? Join a casual,          temptations and obstacles as he attempts
                                                                                                      director, to see what Hitchcock does
lively discussion about public art, its         to find his way home and unite with his life
                                                                                                      differently. You will experience some of
history and its current role in our culture.    partner. This will take a multidimensional
                                                                                                      his most striking and influential moments,
                                                approach - learning mythical and historical
HART, 1 Tuesday, 6:30-8:00 pm. March 14,                                                              from his early silent films through his last
                                                background, discussing characters and
Zoom, $29.                                                                                            films, which will at the same time give you
                                                story elements, viewing film excerpts,
                                                                                                      a chronological overview of his output.
                                                uncovering symbolism, considering the
NEW Falstaff: Shakespeare’s                                                                           You will enjoy his wit and clarity in filmed
                                                Jungian perspective and relating the
Greatest Comic Character                        Odyssey to the personal odyssey of our
                                                                                                      interviews. And you will learn something
Instructor: Tracy Marks                                                                               about how Hitchcock participated in
                                                own lives. Students should obtain the
                                                                                                      creating a “brand” that is to this day
Although Part 1 and 2 of Henry IV are           Fagles, Fitzgerald, or Wilson translation
                                                                                                      synonymous with the art of film.
considered histories rather than comedies,      and read the first chapter (book) by the
they are arguably Shakespeare’s most            first class.                                          HAHF, 1 Sunday, 3:00-5:00 pm. Meets
laugh-aloud plays due to the uproarious                                                               February 5, Zoom, $30.
                                                HTGO, 6 Fridays, 12:30-2:30 pm. Begins
humor (and pathos) of Falstaff. In this         February 10, Zoom, $145/Seniors $120.
online class series, we will read and
discuss both plays (aided by modern              NEW Rainer Maria Rilke in
renditions of the language) and view film       Translation
clips from notable performances. Not
                                                Instructor: Barbara Thimm
only will we delight in the character and
wit of Falstaff, but we will also reflect       Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry has long
upon his relationship to Prince Hal who         been a favorite of English translators.
lives on the edge between hedonism              Consequently, readers can choose from
and responsibility. Please obtain No Fear       an abundance of different translations for
Shakespeare’s edition of Henry IV part one      many of the better-known poems. While
and two by the first class.                     that can be confusing, it also offers an
                                                opportunity to appreciate the beauty and
HFSG, 4 Mondays, 12:30-2:30 pm. Begins
                                                complexity of the original — even if we
January 23, Zoom, $95/Seniors $80.
                                                don’t know its language. We will jointly
                                                read and appreciate multiple translations
                                                of three posems by Rilke and discuss                  Michael Koran teaches Blessings to Everyone from
                                                                                                      Abraham: the Father of Judaism, Christianity, and
                                                                                                      Islam, facing page.

 8     LexingtonCommunityEd.org     |   781.862.8043
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Slavery, Abolition and the
Underground Railroad in
Massachusetts
Instructor: Gordon Harris
In 1765, Jenny Slew, who had been
enslaved in Ipswich, was the first person
in America to successfully sue for her
freedom. The Massachusetts Supreme
Court abolished slavery a dozen years
later, but under the Federal Fugitive
Slave Act, anyone who helped prevent
the recapture of a runaway slave could
be fined $1000. Tensions arose between
ardent abolitionists and those who would
rather avoid the discussion, dividing
families, churches and communities           Ronald Pies, MD teaches How Stoicism Can Help Us Flourish in an Age of Anxiety, this page.
throughout New England. Men’s and
Women’s Anti-Slavery Societies were
formed and fugitive slave seizures in        homes. Of the roughly 300 houses left                 and their ideas have immense relevance
Boston of Shadrach Minkins, Thomas           standing that were constructed (in part               for our own troubled times. Yet there are
Sims, Joshua Glover and Anthony Burns        or in whole) during the first century of              many misconceptions about Stoicism,
in 1854 sparked actions by anti-slavery      English settlement, 59 are in Ipswich.                which is often mistakenly seen as a way
activists known as the Boston Vigilance      We go inside several of these houses                  of suppressing emotion. In this talk, we
Committee. In Ipswich, the Meeting           and identify First Period elements based              will explore the nature and application of
House Green neighborhood was a hotbed        on appearance, layout and architectural               Stoic principles, with the aim of providing
of anti-slavery sentiment. A network of      features that distinguish them from the               practical ways of relieving anxiety and
the Underground Railroad ran north along     succeeding Georgian era. We also visit the            fostering a flourishing life.
the coast from Boston to Marblehead,         Old North Burying Ground, which dates to              HHSC, 1 Thursday, 7:30-8:30 pm. Meets
Salem, Beverly and Danvers, splitting        the town’s founding in 1634. Tombstones               January 19, Zoom, $25.
into three trails, one continuing through    in the oldest section feature lunettes with
Ipswich and Newburyport into New             simple faces carved by John Hartshorne                NEW Blessings to Everyone from
Hampshire. Ipswich town historian Gordon
Harris takes us through the timeline of
                                             and the Leighton family of Essex County,              Abraham: the Father of Judaism,
events on the national and local levels
                                             as well as the winged death-heads                     Christianity, and Islam
                                             carved by Boston’s William Mumford
that culminated in the Civil War and the                                                           Instructor: Michael Koran
                                             and the Lampson family. By the mid-18th
Emancipation Proclamation.                   Century, gravestones of the more wealthy              Each week we’ll read aloud and discuss
HHIST, 1 Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 pm.            inhabitants featured artistic life-like faces         passages from the story of Abraham
Meets January 25, Zoom, $30.                 with wings and three-dimensional scrolling            in the Bible. We’ll discover how we
                                             typical of Boston’s Park family of carvers.           may be blessed (and bless) with the
Historic Ipswich: 17th–18th                  The 1.5 hr presentation is accompanied                creative energy that moved Abraham.
Century Houses, Streetscapes                 by photos of the historic neighborhoods               Exploring Abraham’s relationship to his
& Gravestones                                of Ipswich, digitally remastered from glass           sons may teach us how to smile while
                                             plate negatives taken by George Dexter,               we’re experiencing the challenges
Instructor: Gordon Harris
                                             Arthur Wesley Dow and Edward Darling in               between parents and children. Looking
Ipswich, Massachusetts is known as                                                                 at Abraham’s relationship to women
America’s best-preserved Puritan town        the last half of the 19th Century and early
                                             20th Century.                                         may teach us how love can inspire
and its residents have been the proud                                                              creative strategies that help relationships
custodians of its history and structures.    HHIP, 1 Thursday, 6:30-8:00 pm. Meets
                                                                                                   survive and thrive. We’ll see how
The 1764 Choate Bridge on South Main         February 9, Zoom, $30.
                                                                                                   we, like Abraham, can transform our
St. is the oldest documented double                                                                understanding and experience of divinity
                                              NEW How Stoicism Can Help Us
stone arch bridge in America. Join Ipswich                                                         in order to better receive and bestow
town historian Gordon Harris for a virtual   Flourish in an Age of Anxiety                         blessings. And we’ll dream how we, like
tour of the historic neighborhoods of        Instructor: Ronald Pies, MD                           Abraham, can look forward to dying “at a
Meeting House Green, High Street, the        In an age of anxiety on so many levels,               good ripe age…satisfied.”
East End and the South Green and their       how do we find happiness and peace of                 HBFA, 5 Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00 pm. Begins
well-preserved streetscapes of 17th and      mind? The ancient Stoics developed a                  January 24, Zoom, $140/Seniors $125.
                            18th century     philosophy to answer these very questions

                                                                                       Lexington Community Education         |   Winter 2023   9
Lexington 2023 - Lexington Community Education
Music Appreciation

NEW Music from Around the                        Opera and Wine Pairing
World, Part I: China                             Instructor: Annina Hsieh
Instructor: Jane Wong                            Are you a fan of opera music? Do you
In this class we will cover the basics of        like to drink wine? We have partnered
Western music theory and compare                 with Violette Wine Cellars to bring you
and contrast it with the musical modes           this class to indulge your senses - all from
commonly used in traditional Chinese music       the comfort of your own home! Each
and operas. We will also listen to some          week we will explore how a type of wine             David Collins teaches Four Coposers in the Shadow
current pop music from Chinese speaking          compliments a specific opera scene/                 of Verdi and a German Romantic Opera, this page.
regions and discuss how the traditional          aria and the ways in which wine and
musical modes have been transformed to           music combine to elevate each other.                How Was That a Hit? Pop Music:
promote and preserve the unique tonal            The class will serve as an introduction             1950s–1980s
understanding and effect of traditional          to opera and natural wine history. We               Instructor: Gregory Leschishin
Chinese music. Whether you are a fan of          hope to introduce you to new wine and
                                                                                                     This class discusses and illustrates how
the classics, anime, or current Chinese soap     new music in a fun way. In addition to the
                                                                                                     pop music of the 1950s through the 1980s
operas, you will gain a fresh perspective        price of the class, students can purchase
                                                                                                     became hits. The charts were determined
on the musical sensibility of China as it has    the course wine package (four bottles of
                                                                                                     by airplay and sales calculated by
developed over time, and how it relates to       wine) directly from Violette Wine Cellars
                                                                                                     methods over which only a few people
Western musical style structure.                 store in Cambridge. The wine package is
                                                                                                     had control. Hundreds of songs were
HMWC, 8 Tuesdays, 6:00-7:15 pm. Begins           $90. Curbside Pick Ups: Tuesday-Saturday
                                                                                                     released by many independent record
January 24, Zoom, $110/Seniors $95.              12pm-5pm at 1 Belmont St. in Cambridge
                                                                                                     labels seeking the opportunity to snag a
                                                 (attached to Sofra Bakery). To place your
                                                                                                     hit. Some were natural hits; others were
 NEW Four Composers in the                       order email info@violettewine.com or
                                                                                                     by accident, or luck, or both! Cash Box
Shadow of Verdi and a German                     call 617-876-4125 in advance to let them
                                                                                                     Magazine was one of the prominent music
                                                 know you want the “Lexington Opera and
Romantic Opera—Including Two                                                                         publications that Dick Clark, Solid Gold
                                                 Wine Package.” When you arrive for pick
Met HD Screenings                                up, call them at 617-876-4125 and they
                                                                                                     and Rick Dees’ Weekly Top 40 used to
Instructor: David Collins                                                                            count down the hits. Relive and rediscover
                                                 will bring your order outside. Students
                                                                                                     your 45 collection with this fun class! Class
Verdi dominated Italian opera from the           may also acquire alternative wine for
                                                                                                     content is different each term.
middle to the end of the nineteenth              the course independently. Email: LCE@
century. Yet there were other composers          lexingtonma.org for the course wine list.           HHOW, 6 Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm. Begins
who achieved a good level of recognition.                                                            January 31, Zoom, $80.
                                                 HOWP, 4 Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm.
This winter our class will explore four of       Begins January 18, Zoom, $65 for 1
these Italian operas and one German              person/$100 for 2 people.
opera. In the following order we will
                                                                                                                TASTING TEAS FROM ALL OVER
explore: Umberto Giordano’s Fedora
                                                                                                                with Paul Angiolillo, p. 24
(1898), containing the famous Italian Aria
“Amor ti vieta” - and which the MET is
doing in HD; Pietro Mascagni’s L’amico                                                               Let’s Go to a Musical!
Fritz (1891), which has the well known                                                               Instructor: Brian M. O’Connell
“Cherry Duet”; Amilcare Ponchielli’s La
                                                                                                     This eight-part series of lectures
Gioconda (1876), famous for its ballet
                                                                                                     presented by Brian O’Connell will be
“The Dance of the Hours” and the tenor
                                                                                                     a retrospective look at the important
aria “Cielo e mar”; Alfredo Catalani’s La
                                                                                                     Broadway musicals from the 1920’s
Wally (1892), premiered by Toscanini and
                                                                                                     up to 1980. For many of us, musicals,
containing the soprano aria “ Ebben? Ne
                                                                                                     through their songs, characters and plot
andro lontan” Our class will conclude
                                                                                                     lines have crept into our hearts, minds
with Wagner’s Lohengrin (1850), a high
                                                                                                     and memories. We will look at some of
romantic German opera, which the MET is
                                                                                                     the major musicals, discuss composers
also presenting in HD. Beautiful melody,
                                                                                                     and lyricists, delve into some historical
exciting drama (and yes, some of the plots
                                                                                                     background and listen to all types of tunes
are beyond belief) and great singers will
                                                                                                     - from show-stopping ensemble pieces to
help to warm us up during the cold winter.
                                                                                                     tender ballads to comedic numbers that
Audio and video will be used in class.
                                                                                                     leave us grinning, tapping our toes and
MFCS, 5 Sessions, 6:30-9:00 pm. Begins                                                               maybe singing along.
January 10 and meets 1/24, 2/7, 2/28 and
                                                 Brian M. O'Connell teaches Let's Go to a Musical,   HLGM, 8 Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm. Begins
3/14, Zoom, $145/Seniors $125.                   this page.                                          January 18, Zoom, $120/Seniors $100.

10     LexingtonCommunityEd.org      |   781.862.8043
Private Music Instrument Lessons for Every Age and
         Level, In-Person and/or on Zoom
          LCE provides excellent, convenient, and reasonably priced individu
                                                                                 al
          music lessons with highly qualified professional musician teachers
                                                                                for all
           interested students and adults. The following instruments are available
           for individual study: Baritone Horn (Euphonium), Bass, Bassoon, Cello,
                                                                                                                    Jane Wong
            Clarinet, Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Flute, French Horn, Guitar,                                     Piano, Voice
                                                                                Oboe,
            Percussion (Drums/xylophone), Saxophone, Sitar, Trombone, Trumpe
                                                                                     t,
            Tuba, Ukulele, Upright Bass, Violin or Viola, and Voice. Lessons are
             held in the afternoon and evening. Saturday morning lessons are
                                                                                 also
             available. Each semester contains approximately 16 lessons. Student
                                                                                      s
              must arrange convenient weekly lesson times with the instructor.
                                                                                  The
              length of lessons per week can be: 30 minute, 45 minute, or 60 minutes
                                                                                        .
              To register: Call the LCE office and we will put you in touch with our
               music teaching staff.
                For info about LCE Music teaching staff, please visit:
                https://lexingtoncommunityed.org/music-instrument-lessons/                                          Annina Hsieh, Voice,
                                                                                                                    Beginning Piano

Immei Wong                  Simone Cartales              Bill Kirkley                  Ben Fox                      Brian Kane
Violin                      Violin, Viola                Clarinet                      Oboe                         Saxophone

Ellen Donohue-Saltman       Greg Gettel                  James Lattini                 Allan Espinosa               Robert Butler
French Horn                 Trumpet                      Percussion/Drum Set           Violin, Viola                Guitar

Jerry Vejmola               Jessica Lizak                Jobey Wilson                  John Claybourne              Nancy Radnofsky
Sax, Clarinet               Flute                        Tuba/Euphonium                Drums                        Clarinet

Ona Jonaityte               Phil Hyman                   Raluca Dumitrache             Robert Rivera                David Whetstone
Flute                       Trombone/                    Violin/Viola                  Cello and Bass Guitar        Sitar
                            Euphonium

                                                                                    Lexington Community Education    |   Winter 2023   11
Music Performance/                                                                                  Writing
Theatre Arts
NEW   Chamber Music Ensemble                     of the inspiration favorites from the Great        Whether it originates from memory or
Instructor: Jane Wong                            American Songbook including Climb Every            fantasy, takes shape as poetry or prose,
                                                 Mountain, Fly Me to the Moon and My                our expert writing staff will help you get
This class is designed for advanced
                                                 Favorite Things. We will look at the poetry        your word out.
beginner to advanced instrumentalists
                                                 and prosody and analyze why these songs
who are interested in playing chamber
                                                 are so well loved from one generation to           Grammar 101
music together. There is always more
                                                 the next. This is primarily a singing course,      Instructor: Tracy Marks
motivation for practice with a group. If
                                                 but no singing experience is required.             That or which? Who or whom?? Affect
you are comfortable with note reading
and playing with a steady tempo, you will        MSGA, 8 Wednesdays, 7:15-8:30 pm.                  or effect??? Even the best-educated
have fun in this group. Both youth and           Begins January 25, Lexington High                  people can struggle with basic grammar
adult musicians are welcome. Depending           School, $110/Seniors $95.                          and punctuation. If you’re yearning to
on the interest of the group, the last class                                                        know the difference between commas
can end with a performance for family and                                                           and semicolons, how to avoid dangling
                                                           AN INTRODUCTORY HAIKU                    participles and whether it’s ever okay to
friends. (If you have questions about levels               WORKSHOP
and suitability, please check with the LCE                                                          split an infinitive, join us for this fun and
                                                           with Brad Bennett, facing page
office who will put you in touch with the                                                           funny foray into grammar. We’ll focus
instructor).                                                                                        on several dozen common mistakes, do
MCME, 8 Wednesdays, 6:00-7:15 pm.                 NEW  Storytelling for Everyday                    practice exercises in class and learn easy-
Begins January 25, Lexington High                Life: The Professional and                         to-remember rules to help you focus on
                                                                                                    what you’re trying to say, rather than on
School, $110/Seniors $95.                        Personal Series
                                                                                                    how you’re saying it.
                                                 Instructor: Liana Henry
Learn Guitar in the Style You                                                                       GRRF, 2 Fridays, 12:30-2:30 pm. Begins
                                                 Where can you use storytelling? You don’t
Want to Play                                     have to be a writer to be a storyteller.
                                                                                                    January 20, Zoom, $45/Seniors $35.
Instructor: Robert Butler                        By learning a number of foundational
For centuries, the music of the guitar           techniques, you too can create compelling
has had an inspirational and profound            content and make connections where
effect on people of all ages with colorful       it matters most. This series of single
melodies and stirring rhythms from               workshops are designed to focus on the
every culture. Known for his relaxed             areas that are most important to you.
yet structured classroom style, teacher,         Choose one or all of them—Storytelling
guitarist Robert Butler engages his              is foundational to good communication
students with a diverse curriculum of            skills. It expands and promotes—in
music styles from Classical, Pop/Rock,           business, government, or community. We
Ethnic, Folk and more. Through classroom         all have a story to tell and if we tell it well,   Robert Butler teaches Learn Guitar in the Style You
demonstrations and individual instruction,       we can inspire and motivate for results.           Want to Play, this page.
students of all levels will learn the            These classes will be offered in person at
essential fundamentals through advanced          Lexington High School.
                                                                                                    Journal Writing for Personal
skills of melodic and rhythmic guitar            MWYP, 1 Tuesday, January 17, 7:00 -9:00 pm:
technique. Each student should have an
                                                                                                    Growth
                                                 Storytelling from the Podium - Speeches,
acoustic or electric guitar. All music charts                                                       Instructor: Tracy Marks
                                                 Keynotes, and Public Speaking Mastery, $20.
and diagrams will be provided. Come join                                                            Journal writing is an enjoyable
                                                 MSFB, Tuesday, January 31, 7:00-9:00 pm:
our friendly group of guitarists!                                                                   and constructive means of gaining
                                                 Storytelling for Business: Tips for
MRGW, 4 Thursdays, 6:30-9:00 pm.                                                                    personal insight to help us deal with
                                                 Newsletters, Webpages, Slide Decks, and
Begins January 19, Lexington High                                                                   life’s challenges and awaken to new
                                                 Pitches, $20.
School, Room 166, $120/Seniors $110.                                                                possibilities. Led by a counselor and
                                                 MSTH, Tuesday, February 14, 7:00-9:00 pm:          self-help author, we will use structured
M2GRW, 4 Thursdays, 6:30-9:00 pm.                Storytelling that Helps Others Learn:              exercises to write about many aspects of
Begins February 16, Lexington High               Trainings, Webinars, and Teaching with             our lives. In the process, we will reawaken
School, Room 166, $120/Seniors $110.             Stories, $20.                                      our Muse and uncover our sources of
                                                 MGSS, Tuesday, February 28, 7:00-9:00 pm:
NEW Singing the Great American                   Getting Social with Storytelling: Podcasts,
                                                                                                    personal fulfillment. Each week on Zoom,
                                                                                                    we will delve into our feelings, thoughts,
Songbook                                         Social Channels, and Influencing through           experiences and visions of our future,
Instructor: Jane Wong                            Storytelling, $20.                                 optionally sharing excerpts from our
Do you like show tunes from Broadway             MSYS, Tuesday, March 14, 7:00-9:00 pm:             writing in a supportive environment.
musical theater and Hollywood movie              Selling Yourself with Storytelling: Boosting       WJPG, 4 Tuesdays, 6:45-8:45 pm. Begins
musicals? In this course, we will sing some      your Job Search with Stories, $20.                 January 17, Zoom, $90/Seniors $80.

12     LexingtonCommunityEd.org      |   781.862.8043
Memoir Writing                                NEW Zuihitsu: A Reading Writing
                                                    Instructor: Tom Daley                         Workshop
                                                    Memory is not an instrument for exploring     Instructor: Cathie Desjardins
                                                    the past but its theatre.                     Zuihitsu means literally following the
                                                    — Walter Benjamin                             running brush, a reference to Japanese
                                                    Whether you intend to share your written      calligraphy where spontaneity is essential
                                                    remembrances with family and friends          for artistry and representation. We will
                                                    or a broader audience, you will find this     write in English, not paint, to approximate
                                                    a collegial and supportive workshop in        this centuries-old quintessential Japanese
                                                    which optional weekly exercises will help     “formless form,” which has been
                                                    you to transform the rich material of your    characterized as “brief essays on random
                                                    life into unique works of art, including      topics.” Like ikebana, tanka and haiku,
                                                    memoir pieces, personal essays and even       it cultivates irregularity and suggestion.
                                                    the beginning of a book-length memoir.        Try your hand at composing to feel
                                                    All work will be written outside of the       spontaneous.
                                                    workshop and brought for a critique by        WZRW, 4 Mondays, 6:30-8:30 pm. Begins
                                                    other participants and the instructor,        January 30, Zoom, $90/Seniors $80.
                                                    during which time techniques for better
                                                    writing will be explored. Be prepared         An Introductory Haiku Workshop
                                                    to share something you have written           Instructor: Brad Bennett
Chandreyee Lahiri leads Flash Fiction, see below.
                                                    of a memoir nature—a journal entry, a
                                                                                                  Celebrate the extraordinary in the
                                                    paragraph describing a relationship,
                                                                                                  ordinary with the most popular poetry
NEW Flash Fiction for the                           a letter recounting some memorable
                                                                                                  form in the world! Haiku connects us
Doubtful Writer                                     incident in your life—to the first meeting
                                                                                                  more deeply to the natural world and
Instructor: Chandreyee Lahiri                       of the workshop. The piece should be 750
                                                                                                  can provide solace in difficult times. In
                                                    words or less.
Flash fiction is a short story that is typically                                                  this three-part on-line class, we will learn
just a few hundred words long but with              WMEM, 6 Wednesdays, 4:00-6:00 pm.             about the history and key elements of
a distinct beginning, middle and end.               Begins February 1 and meets 2/8, 2/15,        haiku, including concision, a seasonal
The most famous example—dubiously                   3/1, 3/8, 3/15 Zoom, $165/Seniors $140.       setting and the juxtaposition of concrete
attributed to Hemmingway—reads ‘For                                                               experiences. Using writing prompts, we
sale: baby shoes. Never used.’ In each class
                                                    Poetry Writing Workshop                       will also try our hand at writing some haiku
of this session, the instructor will share a        Instructor: Tom Daley                         poems. Everyone is welcome to this fun
prompt (a sentence, word or picture) then           Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is    and supportive workshop, beginners and
start a 20 minute timer. The whole class will       the skeleton architecture of our lives. It    folks who have written haiku before.
write their respective stories impulsively,         lays the foundation for a future of change,   HHAI, 3 Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm. Begins
from sheer instinct. At the end of the              a bridge across our fears of what has         January 17, Zoom, $55.
period, attendees will have the option              never been before. – Audre Lourde
of sharing their work with the group and            Poetry writing, largely, is a solitary        An Intermediate Haiku Workshop
receiving feedback from the instructor. This        endeavor. This workshop will provide the      Instructor: Brad Bennett
method has been tested by the instructor            opportunity for poets, both beginning         The haiku is a small, but powerful poem!
over many years in flash fiction groups. The        and practiced, to share their work with       The way of haiku is about staying open,
time pressure and low stakes (no Nobel              other poets in a collegial and supportive     observing closely and recording little
worthy literature is expected) tends to             environment. We will concentrate on           moments in our day. Writing haiku can
free people from self-doubt and endless             sharpening the impact of your poems           help us find our gratitude. This supportive
edit-loops and even offers catharsis. Past          through careful consideration of their        writing workshop is designed for folks
writers have found release and insights             strengths and their limitations. Optional     who have taken haiku classes or have
into their own minds as they inadvertently          take-home writing exercises will give you     written haiku previously. In this six-part
explored hidden thoughts and feelings               the opportunity to explore the myriad         on-line writing class, we will wade further
through fictitious characters and settings.         forms poetry can take. Be prepared to         into the haiku pond. We will learn more
The instructor will provide writing tips            share a recent poem (no more than two         about key elements of haiku. We will also
and guidelines and in every class discuss           pages long) at the first session.             try our hand at writing prompts during
one key aspect of writing such as setting,          WPWW, 6 Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm.             classes and ones that are designed as
description, voice etc.                             Begins January 11, Meets 1/18, 1/25, 2/1,     opportunities to enjoy haiku moments
WFFD, 6 Mondays, 7:00-8:30 pm. Begins               2/8, 2/15 Zoom, $165/Seniors $140.            outside of classes.
January 30, Lexington High School, $95/                                                           HINH, 6 Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm. Begins
Seniors $80.                                                                                      February 7, Zoom, $105.

                                                                                        Lexington Community Education    |   Winter 2023   13
Fine Arts, Fabric &
Graphic Arts
In his book “The Art Spirit” American             can be romantic, funny, classic, or even         gray. Brushes: Bring what brushes you
painter Robert Henri writes, “To                  New Age. On Sunday, we’ll focus on your          have; #8 #10 round and a one inch flat
apprehend beauty is to work for it.” LCE          message and style, with tips on how to           is recommended. Paper: Good quality
invites you to work, apprehend, enjoy and         make your card as unique and special as          watercolor pad; 12” x16”. Palette: White
ultimately add to the beauty of the world         your loved one!                                  china plate or a butcher tray. Other
through our many art offerings.                   ATBV, Saturday and Sunday, 1:00 pm -             supplies: Two or three jars for holding
                                                  2:30 pm. Meets February 4 and 5, Zoom,           water, Rags, paper towel, an HB pencil,
NEW   Felt Flower Workshop                        $40/Seniors $30.                                 kneaded eraser. Please bring a photo of
Instructor: Anja van Ommering                                                                      your choice as a reference to paint.
Come and make felt flower bouquets                 NEW   Soft Toy Pillow Workshop                  AWATE, 5 Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 pm. Begins
that will last forever! Each piece of these       Instructor: Sung Ji Lee                          January 17, Zoom, $115/Seniors $95.
realistic flowers are cut and assembled by        A handmade soft toy conveys extra
hand. The workshop is suitable for people         care and creativity and makes a perfect          Introduction to Acrylic Painting
of all skills, whether beginner or more           keepsake for the little ones in our lives. In    Instructor: Donna Calleja
advanced. Class size is limited. A $15            this basic soft toy making course (using         The painting style of any subject is what
material fee is payable to the instructor at      a sewing machine) you will learn how             makes each artist and painting unique.
the first class.                                  to do raw edge applique using fusible            Students will learn about a variety of
AFFW, 3 Mondays, 10:00 am-1:00 pm.                interfacing and free motion quilting.            painting styles while practicing techniques
Begins January 23, LCE Classroom, $125/           There will be two separate sessions with         in acrylic painting. We will review color
Seniors $115.                                     different projects (egg and donut soft toys      mixing, composition, under painting and
                                                  or a house-shaped pillow). Please bring a        paint application techniques. Students will
NEW   Wet-Felting: Surface Design                 sewing machine and a free motion foot if         work to develop a personal painting style
Instructor: Elizabeth Stubbs                      you have one. All levels are welcome, but        to interpret in an original acrylic landscape
In this 8-week series we will explore some        class size is limited to four. A supply fee of   or still life painting. The class will combine
ways to create surface design and pattern         $20 is payable to the instructor in class.       teacher demonstration with work time
in two or three dimensions, using wet-            ASTB, (Egg & Donut Soft Toys), 1                 devoted to individual instruction.
felting techniques. This class is open to         Saturday, 10:00 am-1:00 pm. Meets                ADAC, 7 Tuesdays, 10:00 am-12:00 pm.
those with some wet-felting experience            February 11, Lexington High School, $30.         Begins January 24, Hybrid: LCE Classroom
or by permission of the instructor.               ASTH, (House-Shaped Pillow), 1 Saturday,         or Zoom, $145/Seniors $125.
Assignments will be started in class, but         10:00 am-1:00 pm. Meets March 11,
students may find that additional time will       Lexington High School, $30.                      Beyond the Basics in
be needed to complete them. A materials                                                            Acrylic Painting
list will be supplied upon registration. In       Watercolor                                       Instructor: Donna Calleja
order to allow time to gather materials,          Instructor: Ivan Orlinsky                        Students in this class will continue to
registration must close by January 13.            This class is for both beginners and             refine their skills in acrylic painting. We
AWFD, 8 Mondays, 1:30 - 4:30 pm. Begins           artists who have some experience with            will work to expand knowledge of color
January 23, Zoom, $245/Seniors $200               watercolor. We will begin with an overview       mixing, composition and paint application
                                                  of the history of watercolor as a medium,        techniques while creating personal
                                                  successful watercolor painters from the          painting projects. We will also look at the
                                                  past and present and getting acquainted          paintings of master artists for inspiration
          FELT FLOWER WORKSHOP
                                                  with the materials and supplies we will          of style and technique. The class will
          with Anja von Ommering, this page
                                                  be using. Our first exercise will be laying      combine teacher demonstration with work
                                                  a flat wash. In subsequent classes we            time devoted to individual instruction.
NEW   TumbleBook Valentines                       will work on different techniques such           This class builds on the skills learned in
                                                  as wet on wet, value studies, layering,          the LCE Acrylic Painting for Beginners
Instructor: Annie Zeybekoglu
                                                  mixing colors, what colors to include            class but is open to all who have worked
Want to surprise your sweetheart this             on your palate and a brief overview of           with acrylic paints in another program or
Valentine’s Day? TumbleBook cards                 the qualities of water color paint such          on their own.
are personal, easy to make, flirty and            as transparent, semi -transparent and            ADAA, 7 Thursdays, 10:00 am-12:00 pm.
unexpected. In this 2-day workshop,               opaque. There will be a 20 minute warm           Begins January 26, Hybrid: LCE Classroom
you will be able to create a unique               up exercise at the beginning of each class.      or Zoom, $145/Seniors $125.
TumbleBook card that you can personalize          Please bring the following materials to
with verses and images for your special           the first class: Paints: Cadmium yellow
someone. On Saturday, we will focus on            deep; Lemon yellow; Cobalt blue;
creating the card structure and consider          French Ultramarine blue; Cerulean blue;                    SOFT TOY PILLOW WORKSHOP
the ways you can decorate your card.              Prussian blue; Cadmium red; Vermillion;                    with Sun Ji Lee, this page
Depending on your preference, your card           Burnt Sienna; Yellow Ochre and Payne’s

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