Senior Academy Spotlight
Mask Making: An Ancient Art of Storytelling
Thursdays, 1:00 - 3:00 pm • Oct 6 - Nov 3 • Olympia Senior Center
General Public/Members: $75/$50 • Five Sessions

Join instructor Barbara Young as she teaches about the art of mask making. She was taught this method by the women of the Shoalwater Bay tribe, and has their permission to share the tradition. Week one will be introductions, and stories and pictures of Native American Masks. The subsequent weeks will be to construct a facial mask using plaster of paris, then to decorate it once dry. The stories the masks invoke will then be shared in a talking circle and the last session will be a gathering to celebrate the masks and the stories they represent. All mask making materials will be provided. Brushes, paints, buttons, and decorations will be available. You are welcome to bring in things from home that you may wish to use for decorating a small mask. Participants are encouraged to wear painting clothes.
Your instructor: Barbara Young’s career is in public health. She was a faculty member at U.W., St. Martin’s, and SPSCC. She has Master’s Degrees in Community Health Planning and Nursing. Barbara conducts mask making workshops for health, wellness, and story writing, and has worked with seniors at Panorama, and middle school students, among others.
Mute Stone and Madmen: Art, Archaeology and Cultural History of Ancient Italy
Tuesdays, 1:00 - 3:00 pm • Oct 4 - Nov 8 • Olympia Senior Center
General Public/Members: $90/$60 • Six Sessions

Are you interested in learning more about Ancient Italy and its Etruscan, Roman, and Greek inhabitants? This six-week class will present the art, archaeological remains and cultural history of these fascinating civilizations and their continuing influence in today’s world. The class will illustrate the monumental and artistic remains of ancient Italy coupled with the colorful and often bizarre history spanning more than a thousand years. There will be plenty of time for class discussion.
Your instructor: Tony Usibelli has B.A. in classical archaeology and art history from the Univ. of Missouri and the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. He is an active member of the Puget Sound chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America, the Puget Sound Ancient Numismatic group and has taught classes at Evergreen and SPSCC.  
Art and Artists of the Pacific Northwest
Tuesdays, 10:00 - 11:30 am • Oct 11* - Nov 15 • via Zoom
General Public/Members: $90/$60 • Six Sessions

*Please note, October 11 will be in-person at the Olympia Senior Center

The Pacific Northwest has a long history of artmaking – in this course we’ll explore the wide variety of regional art created by historical and contemporary artists. We will look at artists from different eras, identities, cultural traditions, and artistic media. While some of these artists and their work may be familiar, others may be unexpected, and intriguing, discoveries. Come learn more about them all. Included in our survey will be both traditional and contemporary artists: Coastal Salish artists; photographers such as Edward Curtis, Imogene Cunningham, and Mary Randlett; landscape painters and sculptors whose art celebrates our Northwestern landscapes, towns and cities; New Deal and contemporary public artists whose legacy enriches our communities; and craftspeople, whose artistry enhances our daily lives and often pushes the boundaries of tradition. This course will be offered via Zoom, with the exception of the first in-person class meeting. The last class may be a field trip, contingent on students’ interest to explore local art here in Olympia. 
Your instructor: Jane Stone retired from teaching art history and studio art at South Puget Sound Community College. A graduate of Reed College and the University of Iowa, she earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Studio Art, Art Education and Art History. She now spends time in her ceramics studio, teaching at the Senior Center and tutoring English language learners.
View our class descriptions and register online at southsoundseniors.org/courses
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222 Columbia St NW, Olympia, WA 98501 360.586.6181 www.SouthSoundSeniors.org