Looking to make a positive and enriching step in 2021? 
How about three?

Explore & Grow This Spring…

And experience the joy and discovery of a university art history class, minus the exams!

Join art historian Dr. Hannah Wong and a wonderful community of fellow learners for a series of three different online short courses.  Each course explores a rich and often underdiscussed topic.  Conducted live over Zoom and modeled on upper-level university classes/seminars, the whole series allows busy adults to dive into intriguing, important topics in just four weeks per course.

These courses are designed to be positive, interactive, and engaging and will approach complex topics in an accessible manner.  All are welcome!  No prior experience necessary—just curiosity and open minds and hearts.  Those with art history experience will appreciate suggestions for further exploration, such as reading and online-resource recommendations, posted weekly on a private course website.  (This website also includes a video recording of the previous week’s lecture and discussion.)

Students may register for individual courses or the whole series. Course descriptions, schedule, format, and pricing are listed below.

Still not sure? Check out student testimonials and a recent 25-minute sample lecture featuring one sculpture from the first course!

Course Descriptions

Surveying African-American art

Course dates [first & last date changed due to Austin weather]: Wednesday, 2/24; Tuesday, 3/2; Wednesday, 3/10; Wednesday, 3/17

Explore this essential American story as told by Black artists and their work. Units include the art and visual culture of slavery, Americans in Paris and abroad, the Harlem Renaissance…

Absurdity, Play & Humor in Art History: 4 Cases Throughout Time to Tickle Your Funny Bone

Course dates: Wednesdays, 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/14

Who says serious art has to be serious?! See how this key human quality plays out in art. We’ll travel through time and cultures examining the complex and amusing…

The Context & Challenges of Commemoration, Confederate Statues, and Activist Art in America

Course dates: Tuesday, 4/27; Wednesdays, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19

A unique, hands-on approach to this complex subject.  Along with readings, lecture, and discussion, we’ll host a live interview with a field expert, conduct independent tours of monuments and…

Please note that there are mature themes and imagery in all three of these courses.

Course Schedule, Format & Pricing

Schedule

All classes are 1.5 hrs. each and held weekly on Wednesday from 12:00-1:30 pm (CT) with the one exception of the Tuesday, 3/2/2021 class.

• #1: Surveying African-American Art: 12:00-1:30 pm, Wednesday, 2/17 and 2/24; TUESDAY, 3/2; Wednesday, 3/10.

• #2: Absurdity, Play & Humor in Art History: 4 Cases Throughout Time to Tickle Your Funny Bone

  Wednesdays, 12:00-1:30 pm on 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/14

• #3: The Context & Challenges of Commemoration, Confederate Statues, and Activist Art in America: 12:00-1:30 pm on TUESDAY, 4/27; Wednesdays, 5/5, 5/12, 5/19

Format

Primarily an interactive lecture course with occasional small group discussions used to enhance content retention and to create a lively, participatory learning environment. Classes will be conducted weekly, live and online, via Zoom. (Live learning with other thoughtful students is one of the best parts of these courses!) Video recordings of the live classes will be posted weekly on the course’s private web page and made available to students.

Pricing

• Any single course unit = 4 classes = 6 hrs. total = $135

• Full semester = 12 classes = 3 different courses = 18 hrs. total = $330

• Discount for groups of five or more: $110 per person/per course. (This is $25 off the regular price of $135/person/course!) Exploring with friends, family and members of your household? That’s a dinnertime conversation upgrade! While each person attending the course must register individually, groups of five or more may register for the same course at the group rate of $110 per person/per course. Please have one member email Dr. Hannah with the names and emails of each group member along with the course(s) for which the group would like to register. Then, she’ll send you special instructions for registering.

Benefits Specific to this course

• Great value: College-level content & teaching for at least half the cost of a college course.

• Engaging & In Real Time: Live, interactive lectures that are not pre-recorded.

• Community of Thoughtful Fellow Participants: Many of the students are curious, life-long learners just like you!

• Convenient & Accessible: Designed to fit into your workday over a long lunch; video recordings posted after each live lecture and available to students for the duration of the semester.