Join Mary Laury, watercolor instructor, and Chris Toy, cooking instructor, for four days of indulging in your choice of painting or cooking in an idyllic natural setting. Your day’s explorations will be enriched by evening programs designed to extend yourlearning with themed movies and live music. Choose from the sessions below.

In just a few hours with instructor Craig Coffman, you can learn enough secrets of the trade to give you years of musical enjoyment. Learn to play piano the way professionals do-using chords. Since this class is being held online with ZOOM you will be able to sit at your piano or keyboard at home and take this course with no pressure at all. And since this course includes an online book and online follow up video lessons, you will be able to continue your practice and study on your own. An optional periodic online question and answer session is also included. A recording of the class is included as well. The course is partly lecture/demonstration and partly hands-on instruction.

Author David Spahr has an extensive native farming project. In this class he will discuss and illustrate the hows and whys of farming with native plants, trees, and bushes. No discounts.

Have you ever wanted to learn the guitar but simply find it difficult to find the time? In just a few hours with instructor Craig Coffman you can learn enough about playing the guitar to give you years of musical enjoyment, and you won’t have to take private lessons to do it. This crash course will teach you some basic chords and get you playing along with your favorite songs right away. Since this class is being held online with ZOOM, you will be able to sit at home with your guitar and take this class without any pressure at all. And since the class includes an online book and online follow-up video lessons, you will be able to continue your practice and study on your own. An optional periodic online question and answer session is also included. A recording of the class is included as well. Class limited to 15 students.

Spotlight on Ukraine is a two-part series, the online panel discussion + the in-person lecture. See below for details.

Online Panel Discussion

Join us for this special event exploring the Russia-Ukraine crisis with a panel of three professionals in the field. Reed Johnson is a senior lecturer in the Russian Studies Department at Bowdoin College, Sam Patten is a political writer and strategist with US State Department experience, and Duncan Perry is a retired professor of Russian and Eastern European Studies, University of Scranton. Zoom link will be provided before the event via email. DATE: Wednesday, April 19, 7-9pm, Zoom

In-person Talk

This is a stand-alone lecture on the Ukraine crisis and its response to Russia’s 2022 invasion and is delivered by an individual who pleaded guilty to being an unregistered foreign agent for Ukraine in 2018. Before Russian tanks rolled across Ukraine’s border, the agriculturally-rich nation once called the “breadbasket of Europe” experienced two revolutions driven by popular protest movements. Sam Patten has worked for a range of Ukrainian political parties from 2007-18 and will share his insights into what is motivating the different sides of the conflict as well as dynamics of Ukrainian social and political life. Its goal is to deepen understanding of what has become a political and ideological battlefield with consequences far beyond its borders. Lecturer: Sam Patten. DATE: Tuesday, May 23, 6-8pm, Topsham Adult Ed Center

100% of registration fees will be donated to Doctors Without Borders, who have teams operating in 6 countries bordering Ukraine to aid Ukrainians fleeing the conflict. *Registration fee is for both events.

Are you looking for a fun and relaxing activity to express your creativity? Join us for this 5-week painting series. Each session we will create a small painting, called a study, with a specific focus. No pressure, no experience necessary. You'll get to explore techniques such as color mixing, brushstroke, and composition, while we discuss the inspiring work of artists like Seurat and Degas. We'll also look at how these little expressive gems contribute to larger works. Get ready to discover your artistic side in this enjoyable painting class.

Atlantic Federal Credit Union Presents: Retirement & Savings Workshop with Robert Schmidt. Topics will include: Planning for a long(er) life, creating the plan you need for the retirement you want, making an informed decision about social security, understanding healthcare costs, minimizing taxes to maximize your retirement, aligning your investment objective with your desired outcome, and understanding loss aversion.

Introduction to Double Braid Splicing made fun and easy! We will also discuss knots, how to tie essential knots, and how splices compared to knots affecting rope strength. There will be hardware available to create your own spliced pet leash to take home. Hardware purchased at cost (optional). Instructor: Nelson Frost