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  • Creative Writing (Advanced)

    Class Schedule: February 12, 17, and 19 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    Creative Writing: Character Development (Advanced)

    Whether you are embarking on your memoir or crafting your first work of fiction, the task of the writer is to develop compelling characters that connect with readers. Taking the “me out of memoir” allows you to develop your parents and loved ones as characters. In this three part course, we will utilize description, dialogue, and action to create characters that resonate with readers of any genre. No experience necessary, just a willingness to create characters to jump off the page!

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • ’60s Girl Groups, Part II

    Class Schedule: April 23, 28, & 30, 2026 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    The early 1960s began the girl group renaissance, with prominent Brill Building songwriters and emerging producers such as Phil Spector crafting hits. Motown would further set the template, with Martha and the Vandellas, the Velvettes, and the Marvelettes inspiring even British Invasion groups.  Perhaps no one defined the girl group aesthetic like the Supremes, one of the most successful (and influential) acts of the 1960s.

    As the next decade loomed, the girl group genre was not as prominent on the charts.  Yet the Honey Cone, the Emotions, the Three Degrees, and LaBelle added a thoroughly modern spin on the girl group sound, adding elements of disco and funk.  The Pointer Sisters would achieve even greater success in the late 1970s and 1980s, with the 1990s bringing a new wave of groups such as En Vogue, the Spice Girls, and SWV.  The trend continues today with an international flair, as the hugely popular K-Pop genre has redrawn the blueprint with artists such as Blackpink and Twice. Part two travels through these eras, exploring why the girl group genre continues to thrive. Multimedia presentations and discussions will help define how girl groups changed music and pop culture.

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • Pysanky: Learn the Art of Ukrainian Egg Decorating

    Come celebrate the spring at Monmouth University with this unique opportunity to learn the seasonal ancient art known as Pysanky. Pysanky, also known as Ukrainian eggs, is an ancient folk tradition that has been passed down for thousands of years. This meditative and communal experience is unlike any other art process and for many this workshop marks the beginning of a spring time family tradition that can be passed on and enjoyed for years to come. This tutorial will cover the history and traditions surrounding Pysanky, a demonstration, and independent practice session. The instructor will provide a variety of eggs, dyes, and tools. Participants will turn real eggs into works of art using a wax resist method similar to batik. A great deal of patience and concentration is required to complete a single egg, but it is very rewarding to reveal your hard work when the wax layers are taken off. In-person attendance will be extremely limited.

    No prerequisite skills are required. Please bring a container or old egg carton to take home your creation. Ages 18+

  • ’60s Girl Groups, Part I

    Class Schedule: January 22, 27, & 29, 2026 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    The 1960s may be remembered for the British Invasion, soul, and the birth of the Beatles and art rock. However, the early-to-mid 1960s is also known for its “girl groups,” trios or quartets singing Brill Building compositions and other pop.  Motown also perfected the girl group formula, with the Supremes reigning as one of the most successful and influential acts of the 1960s. Indeed, the girl group tradition continues today with Fifth Harmony, Blackpink, and many others.  However, the genre’s roots extend back even further, to the 1960s.

    Part one of the “Girl Groups” course will trace the beginnings of these acts, with the 1920s and 1930s producing singers such as the Andrews Sisters and the Boswell Sisters.  By the 1950s the McGuire Sisters and the Chordettes picked up the baton, lending a pop sheen to an otherwise jazz-dominated genre.  The early 1960s kicked off the genre’s peak, with UK and US acts such as the Vernons Girls, the Shirelles, and the Shangri-Las scoring hits on the charts. Perhaps no one defined the early girl group era like Phil Spector, who produced such groups as the Ronettes and the Crystals. The course will explore these roots and the earliest girl group successes through multimedia presentations and discussion.

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • Disco Inferno!, Part II

    Class Schedule: December 11, 16, & 18, 2025 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    By the late 1970s, disco dominated the airwaves and conquered film, television, advertising, and fashion. Its ubiquity, however, led to an inevitable backlash in the form of Chicago’s infamous “Disco Demolition Night” event at Comiskey Park.  Did that signal the end of the genre?  Hardly—it merely changed labels, transforming its sound and becoming “House” or “Electronic Dance Music (EDM).”  In the present day, artists such as Dua Lipa, Beyoncé, and Sabrina Carpenter have incorporated the sound into their own music.

    Part two of Disco Inferno continues the journey through the history of disco, moving from the late 1970s peak into House music and through the present day.  How did disco evolve through the 1970s?  How did the genre alter music and popular culture?  Why has the music endured?  All of these questions will be explored through multimedia presentations and class discussions.  Students will learn about the peak of disco and its longevity, key artists, and how the genre evolved into House and EDM.

  • Art for the Non-Artist

    Can’t even draw a stick figure? Struggle with perfectionism?
    This isn’t your average art class—it’s a creative empowerment workshop created especially for those who think they can’t draw. You’ll learn to draw with both technical skill and confidence—in just one session. With a single feather as your subject, you’ll learn to slow down and really see—translating its shape and texture into a drawing through focused observation. Each drawing will reflect the individual behind it—created entirely by your own hand, and completed with real technical skill, even if it’s your very first time.

    Led by Art Coach and Teaching Artist Jenny Santa Maria, this workshop helps you unlearn the myth of “natural talent” and discover the joy of drawing as a skill that can be taught, learned, and enjoyed. Jenny has guided countless anxious, curious, and discouraged individuals to find joy and confidence through creative expression, bringing her workshops to libraries, art centers, and community spaces across New England.

    Whether you’re working through limiting beliefs or simply curious about reconnecting with your creativity, this workshop offers a safe, encouraging space to explore art making as a new language—one that can enrich every part of your life.

    All materials provided. No experience needed.

  • History of Motown Records

    Class Schedule: November 6, 13, & 20, 2025 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    In Detroit in the 1960’s Motown Records produced hits as efficiently as the Ford Motor Company produced automobiles. It was the “Sound of Young America” conceived by Berry Gordy J and sung by performers like The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Using audio and visual content, we’ll trace the amazing musical journey from the power soul of “Dancing in The Streets” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” to the psychedelic soul of “What’s Going On” and “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” to the pop soul of The Jackson 5. Timeless music that moved us then and moves us now.

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • Creative Writing (Introduction)

    Class Schedule: September 25, 30, and October 7 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    Introduction to Creative Writing: Character Development: Whether you are embarking on your memoir or crafting your first work of fiction, the task of the writer is to develop compelling characters that connect with readers. Taking the “me out of memoir” allows you to develop your parents and loved ones as characters. In this three part course, we will utilize description, dialogue, and action to create characters that resonate with readers of any genre. No experience necessary, just a willingness to create characters to jump off the page!

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • Disco Inferno!, Part I

    Class Schedule: September 11, 16, & 18, 2025 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

    Dance music had existed since at least the 1930s, but the beat took on a new meaning in the 1970s. The four-on-the-floor beat, wah-wah guitar, horns, funky bass, and soulful vocals invited people from various backgrounds onto the floor.  The craze may have ended by 1980, but the music never died; instead, the genre transformed into other genres such as House and Electronic Dance Music (EDM).  Disco Inferno, a two-part course, will explore the history of disco, from its origins through its heyday and beyond.

    Part one looks at the roots of disco, from James Brown’s extended breaks to Philadelphia International’s groundbreaking, lush productions.  New York and Africa played key roles in the development of disco, as did a perfect storm of social and political issues: women’s rights, gay rights, civil rights, the aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, and much more.  Students will learn about the rise of disco, its characteristics, and the key artists of its early years.  No prior knowledge of the Hustle is required!

    Zoom Link will be provided upon registration.

  • The Beatles’ Rubber Soul

    Class Schedule: October 28, 2025 | 7:30 – 9:30 PM

    At the mid-point of the 1960’s and after Beatlemania had hit America and the world, The Beatles released their sixth album. Rubber Soul, often referred to as “the departure record,” proved a crucial artistic leap in the band’s career and sound, forever altering what was possible within pop music and the concept of the album overall. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of this landmark release, this course will explore the personal, cultural, and sonic landscapes that shaped the record, from the new sights and sounds The Beatles were consuming, through the impact upon their writing, their peers, and the music world thereafter.