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Pull out your sketchbook and pencil to take an artful break as you explore the Smithsonian while drawing objects from vast and fascinating collections.
Study master illustrators including N.C. Wyeth, Arthur Rackham, Alphonse Mucha, Edmund Dulac, Norman Rockwell, and Beatrix Potter. The aims of this class are to explore the history of these artists and to apply their approaches in a variety of mediums to depict expressive illustrations in a range of genres. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)
President Michael Douglas? President Gene Hackman? President Harrison Ford? Hollywood has long imagined Oval Office leaders, and film historian Max Alvarez guides audiences through nine decades of cinematic presidential portrayals. From failed box office attempts in the 1930s and ’40s, to JFK-era thrillers, Clinton-era dramas, and more complex depictions in “The West Wing,” “House of Cards,” and “VEEP,” Alvarez explores how film and television shaped presidential images. Expect dueling Nixons and LBJs in this lively multimedia lecture.
From ancient times to the present scientists and philosophers have marveled at how such a seemingly abstract discipline as mathematics, which appears to have been a product of human thought, could so perfectly explain the natural world. In a fascinating presentation, astrophysicist Mario Livio explores why mathematics is a powerful lens through which to examine the cosmos.
A quirky 18th-century international dispute over natural history quickly took on political overtones. Thomas Jefferson wanted to refute a French naturalist’s theory that all life in America was degenerate and weak, so he asked that a large dead moose be shipped to France. The theory, however, continued to have scientific, economic, and political implications for 100 years. Evolutionary biologist Lee Alan Dugatkin highlights this fascinating tale.
Spend a fascinating Friday evening expanding your knowledge of the world of wine as you sip along with sommelier Erik Segelbaum in a series of delectable adventures. He explores offerings from both sides of South America’s Andes in an immersive program that includes a curated personal tasting kit to enhance the experience.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, America’s first common carrier, was a pioneer in many components of railroading. None was more important than its innovations in propulsion. Rail historian James Reeves leads an exploration of more than a century of locomotive history at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore. A Smithsonian Affiliate, the museum houses an outstanding collection of 19th-century locomotives—including an array on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.
If you’ve taken the studio arts class Gyotaku: The Japanese Art of Fish Printing, you are ready to try Hawaiian-style gyotaku. It includes printing in colorful inks and thin acrylics and adding color and texture with watercolor crayons and acrylic media.
Take a dive into the possibilities of alcohol inks as a component of your mixed-media arsenal. With intense, saturated color, alcohol inks offer many possibilities on a variety of surfaces, from tiles to paper.
Weave a whimsical fish-shaped pendant in this workshop. Pick up the techniques and learn what materials are needed to add your fish to a necklace or, if you make two fish, create a delightful pair of earrings.
