_Advanced Topics in Creativity: An umbrella course under which a student can undertake advanced-level work in one medium, in a small-group or one -on-one format with an instructor. Pre-requisite: One or more prior courses in the specific creative medium, or prior life experience which has given the student command of that medium, and permission of the instructor.
_Art and Soul Workshop: Inside the psyche of each and every person is an ember of creativity. Using movement and a variety of creative techniques this course helps students to fan that ember into a flame of creative expression. This team-taught course supports students as they learn how to nurture their souls through the expression of joy, creativity, self-love and acceptance.
_Awakening to Your Inner Treasures: The journey to wholeness is a process of self-realization. Experiencing and integrating the deep layers of soul with body brings us to our full state of being—Earth-rooted and Spirit-centered. This class will be an exploration of your inner landscape. Collage works directly with the language of symbols, images and archetypes. By working intuitively and spontaneously with collage and depth journeying you can begin to bridge the realms of your waking consciousness and the usually- inaccessible realm of your psychic depths.
_Ceramics: Students explore the design and aesthetics of clay and practice fundamental production techniques including hand-building, wheel- throwing, glazing and firing.
_Cookery I-IV: This set of sequenced courses introduces students to the creative aspects of food preparation, menu planning, recipe development and testing, and the art of fine dining. Cookery I is designed for students with no prior experience of food preparation in any form. It is especially tailored for those who dislike cooking and see no creative potential in it. Cookery II and III develop and extend the components of Cookery I, encouraging students to become more adventurous in both their range of cuisines and meal preparation. Cookery IV is an advanced course for culinary experts, and includes such subjects as wine choices and etiquette, cooking for those with dietary restrictions, and the creative presentation of food.
_Crafting the Feminine Container: Working in clay, creating bowls, we explore concepts of emptiness and overflowing, begging and generosity, imperfection and acceptance in ourselves. Using the metaphor of bowls as feminine containers, we form ourselves into the women we want to be.
_Crafts I: An introduction to traditional and contemporary crafts. Students will use materials such as paper, fiber, glass, metals, reed, and mixed media to create craft objects. Emphasis is on design, technique and critiques of original work.
_Crafts II: Builds on Crafts I, taking students deeper into the techniques of working with several different media.
_Crafts III: An advanced workshop stressing the mastery of technique working with one medium, under the guidance and supervision of a master in that medium.
_Creating an Exhibition Portfolio: This workshop provides guidance, motivation and support to students interested in developing a series of their art for exhibition. Personal development and consultation is an intricate part of the course, as students‟ creative process is nurtured, cultivated and encouraged. Information on the technical aspects of marketing and exhibiting is provided.
_Creative Art Lessons: This workshop hits the ground running, as participants use their creativity with a variety of projects beginning with drawing, then moving on to painting, collage, and fabric arts. The finale is a surprise to everyone, as students discover their true artistic potential.
_Creative Path, The: A series of workshops designed to awaken the creative genius within, quiet the student‟s inner critic and help her use her creative expression in work, life and play.
_Creative Writing I & II: The first course is an exploration of creative writing as a means of self-expression, with emphasis on the process: topic selection and form, planning, developing imagination and revising drafts. The focus is on characteristics of good writing and the discipline, practice, and self- awareness it requires. Creative Writing II emphasizes the development of an individual voice, the acquisition of greater technical resources, and the honing of the ability to analyze, critique and revise one‟s work. When the focus of the course is on poetry, students deal with such topics as verse forms, the control of meaning, language choices, and polishing.
_Creativity in the Individuation Process: A short course that examines the central role of creativity in the development of our personal, unique sense of individuality. Among the topics considered are: the relationship of the Jungian types (intuitive, sensate, thinker, feeler, judger, perceiver) to modes of creativity, and the role of values and lifestyle in influencing the personal expression of creativity.
_Curtain Up! Performance Workshop: A workshop addressing techniques in speaking, reading to an audience, acting and making public presentations, designed to help participants gain confidence in appearing before the public. Students will learn what not to do, as well as what to do. As they apply the tips and techniques introduced in the course, students will move toward overcoming one of the most common of all fears: speaking in public. An additional benefit of this motivational workshop is the participants‟ discovery of new talents they didn‟t know they had.
_Dance I & II: An experiential study of the evolution of dance from classical forms to ethnic dance and movement studies. Students study the technique, theory and integration of several dance forms in Dance I, including exercises in choreography and movement. In Dance II students examine the technique, theory and integration of a particular dance genre in greater depth. Pre-requisite to Dance II: Dance I or its equivalent.
_Elements of Design I & II: Introduces and explores graphic design fundamentals including composition, color, typography, and color theory, within a technical environment. In Graphic Design I, students develop basic visual problem-solving skills as they relate to specific examples and projects. In Graphic Design II, students develop illustration skills, using both traditional studio art techniques and current industry computer software. Design concepts, logo creation, package design, pre-press and printing processes will also be explored. Pre-requisite for Graphic Design II: Graphic Design I or its equivalent.
_Exploration of the Performing Arts: An overview and synthesis of the commonalities in the performing arts, to encourage students to explore and perhaps expand their range of skills and talents in singing, acting, mime, dance and body movement. No prior training is necessary.
_Exploration of the Plastic Arts: An overview and synthesis of the commonalities in the plastic arts, to encourage students to explore and perhaps expand their range of skills and talents in handling various artistic media including, but not limited to pencil, charcoal, watercolor, tempera, clay, papier-maché, pastels and ink. Elements of color theory and basic design will also be explored. No prior training or artistic ability is required.
_Fabric Arts: Students in this course explore a variety of techniques for working with fabric, such as weaving, sewing, quilting, and embroidery. The nature and qualities of different fabrics are considered, and some of the key principles of fabric handling (like grain, bias, etc.) are explained. Stress is placed on the fostering of students‟ creative self-expression through the medium of fabric.
_Introduction to the Creative Process: A course combining seminar, meditation, creative exercises and outdoor exploration to reveal the processes of scientists, artists, political thinkers and others who approach “reality” as a creative medium. By expanding our definition of creativity and enhancing our receptivity and perception, we improve problem-solving skills, identify our unique gifts and begin to see the connections between personal and social transformation.
_Introduction to Drawing: The basics of drawing are introduced and coupled with creative art exercises to stimulate students‟ creative process. Essential components like contrast and dimension are included.
_Introduction to Poetry: An introduction to the basic types of poetry, poetic tools and the structure of poems. Classic poetry by some of the great poets such as Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath and Ralph Waldo Emerson will be discussed. Exercises in creative writing will be on-going throughout the course as various tools and techniques are introduced.
_Introduction to Soul Collage®: This workshop combines imagery with imagination and intuition in a process that fosters students‟ discovering their instinctive, inner creative self. Using the simple tools of images, scissors and glue, students get an overview of the Soul Collage® process and the four suits (Committee, Community, Companions and Council) that are part of it. No artistic skills required.
_Mask-Making Workshop: An adjunct to the Shadow Work course, this hands-on creative course guides students in the process of creating a visual representation of their shadow side, using a wide variety of art supplies and techniques.
_Mime: A short course exploring the eloquence of the body as expressed in mime and, more prosaically, in daily body language. Students are exposed to the key techniques of mime and offered multiple opportunities both to demonstrate their own body eloquence and to “read” their fellow students‟ body language.
_Music Fundamentals: An introduction to the principles of rhythm, melody and harmony for the beginning student. Emphasizes the skills needed to read, write, analyze and compose basic musical forms. Access to a piano keyboard for regular practice is required.
_Music Theory I & II: Explores the fundamentals of sound and the organization of music. Students practice both musical analysis and composition. Scales, intervals, chords, melody, harmony, rhythm, and musical notation are emphasized in Music Theory I. Non-chord tones, four- part writing using triads in inversion and 7th chords are elements of Music Theory II. Access to a piano keyboard for regular musical practice is required.
_Painting from the Spiritual Self: Instruction in painting, readings, guest speakers, and interdisciplinary experiences provide students with background material initiating and supporting their personal inquiry into the spiritual and its manifestation in the painted image. Students are encouraged to integrate their daily meditation practice into their work in this course.
_Photography: A course offered on both basic and advanced levels, depending on student and instructor interest. The basic version introduces students to the creative elements of photography (both film and digital), including such topics as composition, subject, perspective, and manipulation of the media to enhance the creative aspects of the process. In its more advanced versions, the course develops students‟ aesthetic vision through a series of hands-on exercises.
_Poems That Speak: An intermediate/advanced course for those with a thirst for writing who are ready to take the next step beyond the basics, into deepening their skills and learning how to market their poems. The focus of the course is on tapping students‟ creative resources, challenging and deepening creative writing skills and maximizing creative potential. Free- style, non-traditional writing experimentation will be explored, as well as various strategies to disseminate and market students‟ work. Pre-requisite: Introduction to Poetry, or its equivalent. Check with instructor.
_Psychology and Philosophy of Creativity: An exploration of the philosophy of consciousness and the development of human awareness, this course gives students a better understanding of the processes through which people come to know and express themselves. Topics include such questions as “What is creativity?” “Where do new ways of perceiving, being, understanding, or expressing originate?” “What are the basic elements of creative thought, art, and literature?” “What does it mean to say that we see in a new way?” How are intellectual understanding and artistic expression related?” “How can we foster creativity in our personal and professional lives?”
_Tapping into the Creative Process: An exploration of what creativity looks like and the factors that are part of the process. Each of us is truly gifted with creative abilities, energies and thoughts, but often we do not recognize our creativity because we are not aware of it or do not understand it. This course considers what creative expression is and the motivational factors associated with it. Each participant is offered a choice of creative activities, e.g. making a poem, drawing, painting, weaving, crocheting, or working with fabric, to explore his/her own creative process in a safe, fun, inspiring environment. The goal of the workshop: for each student to have gained a deeper understanding of his/her own creative process and feel motivated and confident about his/her abilities in the world of creativity.
_Theater Arts I: An introduction to theater arts including its history, dramatic literature, and theatrical production. Students will be introduced to the elements that go into a theatrical production, like scenery, costumes, properties, lighting, sound and technical effects. Students will also be exposed to the interpretation of film and the principles of acting.
_Theater Arts II: An advanced course that considers the finer points of stagecraft, acting and theatrical production. Pre-requisite: Theater Arts I or the equivalent.
_Tips and Techniques of Gourmet Cooking: Operating with the belief that there are too many myths around gourmet cooking, this course seeks to demonstrate to participants that gourmet food can be simple to prepare. Students will learn to prepare a 3-course gourmet meal in under one hour, guided by a Cordon Bleu-trained teacher. An added benefit of the course is that students get to eat the meal they prepare.