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CLL Arts and Humanities Classes
French Language
Art History
Stage and Screen
Basic Spanish
Watercolor Painting
Current Events
Art in the Modern World
Drawing Fundamentals
Memoir
Music History
Arts and humanities classes are offered weekly September through June and are included in CLL annual membership. Instructors offer college-level material and invite class discussion. Students are free to learn without the expectation of outside assignments or grading.
CLL members join throughout the year and are free to attend class as their time and interest allow. A commitment to weekly attendance is not required, although regular attendance is encouraged for the greatest benefit. The class descriptions below provide a general view of the class.
French Language
Mondays on Zoom
10:00 a.m. (Advanced)
11:00 a.m. (Intermediate)
12:00 noon (Beginner)
Claudine Wojtowicz
The CLL offers three levels of French language classes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Come decide which is best for you!
Claudine Wojtowicz, a native speaker born on the French Riviera, taught in the public system in Nice, at North Shore school in Chicago, and at the Alliance Française of Chicago. Claudine has many years' experience teaching French to all ages, often incorporating film and food into her classes.
Art History
Mondays on Zoom |
1:00–2:30 p.m.
Catherine Zurybida
This class will look at the art and architecture of the Roman world from 250 AD to 550 AD. This will include Christian art, some Jewish monuments and Roman public art. We will examine the process of developing a visual vocabulary for a totally new religion and what early churches and synagogues looked like. The course will also explore the Roman roots of familiar Christian subjects and how new formulations were created by these people to illustrate complex theological ideas.
Catherine Zurybida did her graduate work at the University of Chicago studying early medieval art history and has been teaching art history at DePaul University since 1990. She lives on the south side of Chicago and gives tours of the Pullman historic district for fun.
Stage and Screen
Tuesdays (In-Person and on Zoom) 9:30—11:00 a.m.
John Clum
This class introduces students to reading, seeing and screening a group of classic and contemporary plays that speak to central issues of our time. Plays were meant to be heard, not read. We’ll work on developing the skills of “hearing” a play while reading it. Through video clips, we’ll compare some live performances of the plays. When possible, we’ll examine plays that are being performed in Chicago. The class also explores themes in classic and contemporary film.
The focus this Autumn will be on four plays by William Shakespeare: Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure, and King Lear. While some time will be spent on how these works have been translated to other media (film, opera, ballet, etc.), the focus will be on Shakespeare in the theater.
John Clum taught courses in acting, dramatic literature, playwriting and the history of theatre and film at Duke University, where he was Professor of Theater Studies and English. He has directed almost 100 productions of everything ranging from Shakespeare to many premieres of contemporary plays to opera and musicals. John has written eleven books and 75 essays on modern and contemporary drama, musical theatre, film, television and opera. He is now President of the Edward Albee Society. He has been elected a Lifetime Member of the College of Fellows of American Theatre.
Basic Spanish
Tuesdays on Zoom |
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Susan Nusbaum
This basic conversation class is designed for anyone who would like to learn, or continue learning, basic conversational Spanish. Open both to newcomers and those who have taken the class previously; emphasis will be on using and repeating the spoken word and structure. The class will also include basic grammar skills and some reading and writing from our workbook. The focus will be on learning Spanish and on having fun while learning.
Susan Nusbaum is a former teacher and administrator in Chicago Public Schools. She retired from full time work in 2012, the last 25 years at Wells High School. Upon retiring, Susan was a consultant at Wells High School, working on a project to raise four million dollars to build a soccer and baseball field at the school, which was completed in 2018. Since then she has been a Spanish teacher in the CLL Program at Fourth Presbyterian Church and CAPE (adult continuing ed.) program at Northeastern Illinois and a student teaching supervisor at National Louis University and at Northeastern Illinois University. Susan received her BS in Spanish at NEIU, an M.A. in bilingual education at Governors State University, an M.A. in School Administration at NEIU, and an Ed.D in School Leadership at Loyola University.
Watercolor Painting
Tuesdays on Zoom |
1:00–2:30 p.m.
Cheri Reif Naselli
Emphasis is on the concepts of positive and negative painting, brush technique, color studies, and wet and dry application of paint. Students of all levels of experience are welcome!
Cheri Reif Naselli is a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago and brings a variety of teaching experiences to the CLL. She is skilled in various visual art media in addition to watercolors and enjoys the opportunity to guide other artists as they develop their personal style and skill.
Current Events
Wednesdays in person |
12:00–1:00 p.m.
Roger Becker
Come together to discuss the daily headlines. Our leader brings an issue to discuss and opens the group to full conversation on local, national, and world events. Students are encouraged to suggest topics as well. All opinions are welcome for a civilized discussion.
Roger Becker graduated in architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Most of his professional career was spent in leading owners, architects, and contractors in developing health care design and construction projects. Roger was in charge of facilities services at St. Louis Children's Hospital, led the design and construction program at the University of Chicago Hospitals, and prior to retirement was Senior Vice President of Program Management at Lillibridge Healthcare Services.
Art in the Modern World
Wednesdays on Zoom |
1:00–2:00 p.m.
Susan Musich
Art in the Modern World will explore the artists, movements, and ideas that comprise art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Using a chronological approach, the classes will introduce you to new works and expand your knowledge of familiar ones. Smaller focused units on a specific theme or topic will be interspersed among the more traditional art history subjects. Throughout, you will also learn about current art events and news.
Susan Musich spent the majority of her career as an educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art. In that capacity, she gave lectures, talks, and tours; created interpretive materials; managed the docent program; and taught contemporary art history classes. Currently, Susan serves as a consultant to foundations that fund the arts, writes art criticism on a freelance basis, and manages the tour program at EXPO CHICAGO.
Drawing Fundamentals
Wednesdays on Zoom |
3:00–4:30 p.m.
Pauline Kochanski
The goal of this is to develop and challenge individual student skills no matter the level of experience. This course will focus on a variety of materials and techniques. Each week we will begin with a warm-up exercise and then move on to the study of shape, form, shadow, volume, line and more. We will often spend more than one week on each theme.
Students of all levels are welcome.
Pauline Kochanski is a Chicago area exhibiting and teaching artist, a graduate of Columbia College Chicago and DePaul University. Pauline produces artwork using a variety of materials though she loves graphite, color pencils, and more pencils. She brings a broad spectrum of teaching experiences to CLL and is thrilled to be able to support her students in their creative growth.
Memoir
Thursdays on Zoom | 10:00–11:30 a.m.
(Note: there are two different class times for this class and students are approved and assigned to a session by the instructor.)
Linda Downing Miller
The writer William Zinsser has called memoir “a window into a life.” Writing short memoir pieces about your experiences can give you a fresh perspective on your past and an opportunity to share the view with others. This class will provide inspiration and motivation to improve your creative writing skills and capture your life stories. Writing prompts and examples will help spark your memory and get your writing going. Each meeting, you’ll share new writing with the group in an encouraging environment. Beginning and experienced writers welcome!
Linda Downing Miller leads creative writing classes at CLL, the Newberry Library, and elsewhere. Her stories and essays have appeared in literary journals and other publications, including Chicago Quarterly Review, Water~Stone Review, the Florida Review, and the Chicago Tribune. She earned an MFA in creative writing from Queens University of Charlotte and lives in Oak Park.
Music History
Thursdays on Zoom | 1:00–2:00 p.m.
Josh Graham
This class takes an informative and entertaining survey of musical styles and history, including popular music, musical theater, classical music, and opera. Illustrative selections are presented on the piano, via film clips and sound recordings, and by guest artists.
Josh Graham is a percussionist based in Chicago. He has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the country and at conferences including the International Computer Music Conference, the Society of Composers Inc. Conference, and the International Clarinet Association “ClarinetFest.” Josh is the program coordinator for the Zafa Collective and regularly performs with pianist Yoshiko Arahata. He has performed with the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Ensemble Dal Niente, the Half Stick Duo, and the Listen! Percussion Group. Josh teaches percussion at Triton College and the percussion methods course at Roosevelt University. He is also on faculty at the Music Institute of Chicago. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Central Michigan University and endorses Marimba One Instruments, Vic Firth Sticks and Mallets, and Black Swamp Percussion Instruments.
For more information about the Center for Life and Learning, email the Director, Annette Mileski.
