Art Appreciation
A Guided Look into the World of Art
Join us for an evening of thoughtful conversation and creative discovery as we explore the stories, techniques, and cultural significance behind some of history’s most impactful artists and movements. Each session includes a lecture-style discussion followed by a short hands-on activity or demonstration, allowing participants to both learn and experience the artist’s process firsthand.
This class is perfect for anyone who loves to learn about art, history, and the meaning!!  No prior experience required, just curiosity and an open mind.
All supplies provided
Each session features a new artist or theme.
———————————————-
Art Appreciation: Mary Ellen Mark
February 19 
Mary Ellen Mark was a documentary photographer known for her unflinching, deeply human approach to storytelling. Rather than photographing from a distance, she spent long periods of time with her subjects, building trust, listening, and allowing people to reveal themselves on their own terms.
Her work often focused on individuals and communities living on the margins: children, performers, patients, and those navigating complex social systems. Mark’s photographs ask viewers to slow down and truly see the people in front of the camera, not as subjects to be consumed, but as full human beings with agency, dignity, and complexity.
In this art appreciation session, we’ll explore how Mark used photography as a tool for empathy, connection, and social awareness. We’ll also discuss the ethical questions her work raises: What does it mean to document someone else’s life? Where is the line between observation and exploitation? And how does intention change how we read an image?
This lecture invites open conversation, layered interpretation, and thoughtful discussion, with no right or wrong answers, just careful looking and honest dialogue.