Acadia Senior College

Camden National Bank, State Route 102, Town Hill.

What makes a photograph worth hanging on the wall or sharing on Facebook? The first step in becoming a better photographer is to recognize what makes a good image. Next you apply that knowledge to your own work. As you develop the skills to capture this vision, you will become a more satisfied artist. In this course, we will look at the elements that make a good image. The course will study the works of the masters and analyze each student’s own images. Come prepared to share photographs and to give and accept constructive criticism.

Wendell Gilley Museum, 4 Herrick Road, Southwest Harbor.

Students will carve and finish a miniature (six-inch) loon in basswood. The students will receive a roughed out blank and will be able to finish the piece with a varying amount of detail. Students wishing to borrow a knife may do so to create more detail on their bird than possible in the allotted time. Approximately one-half of the class will be devoted to carving and one-half to painting.

Undercroft of St. John Episcopal Church, 315 Main Street, Southwest Harbor.

Geologists have been visiting MDI since 1836 to view the exceptional exposure of a variety of rock types and explain their origin. MDI has been used as a testing ground for fundamental geologic concepts such as the origin of granite and the depression of the crust by the weight of the continental glacier. This course will examine the work on MDI of geologists in the context of the state of geologic knowledge in the eras in which they were working. The emphasis will be on how geologic thinking changed over time with the increase in geologic knowledge since 1836.

Vekasi home kitchen, Southwest Harbor (directions provided upon enrollment.)

This four-week hands-on course will be conducted in Mary’s home kitchen. The class will bake a variety of loaves using both commonly available commercial grains and interesting alternative and heritage grans. The students will create their own sourdough starter, and will share fun experiences and recipes. Students will need to complete some bread making processes at home and bring their own large mixing bowl.

ArtWaves Studio, State Route 102, Town Hill (next to Town Hill Market).

This class will begin with seeing possibilities and planning a design, observing a demonstration of glass cutting, and then selecting materials to create a mosaic piece or pieces for a wall or window.

Birch Bay Village Inn Library, Village Inn Road, off Crooked Road, Hulls Cove.

This course will examine New England’s changing landscape design styles over 250 years and the class will discuss how historic landscape preservation works and doesn’t work. This class will give students an overview of New England’s garden history to enrich their future travel.

Mellon Room in the Northeast Harbor Library, 1 Joy Road, Northeast Harbor.

This course will explore the internationally acclaimed short stories of Honore de Balzac (the French Charles Dickens), and will discuss the influences of evil and goodness, truth and deceit upon the finely drawn characters who inhabit the narratives. “Episode in the Reign of Terror,” “La Grande Breteche,” and “Passion in the Desert” are among the selections.

Dining Hall in St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church, 41 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor.

Many lifelong spiritual seekers believe that the ancients possessed the necessary insight to live the most meaningful lives. This discussion-based class will focus on two lineages of this ancient wisdom. The Yoga Tradition is thousands of years old, and the class will examine Patanjali Yoga from the perspective of teacher and writer Michael Stone. The class will also take a deep dive into the sophisticated, mystical traditions of ancient Hawaii through the teachings of the revered spiritual elder Hale Makua. A small and optional part of each class will be devoted to meditation techniques from both traditions. In addition, participants will be encouraged to share their own spiritual practices. This will be a chance to learn from each other.

Chambers Room in the YWCA, 36 Mount Desert St., Bar Harbor.

Have you been dreaming of traveling somewhere "exotic" someday? Or have you actually been somewhere fabulous and still want to talk about it, but exceeded the enthusiasm of your friends and relatives for the subject? Come share your experiences with other travel enthusiasts. We will explore favorite destinations, alternative travel modes, helpful packing hints, and any other travel topics YOU want to entertain.

New Meeting Room in St. John Episcopal Church, 315 Main Street, Southwest Harbor.

This course offers a feminist perspective on mythology, anthropology, sexuality and religion and traces major figures, myths, concepts and symbols back to their pre-patriarchal origins. The course will cover a broad philosophy of harmony with nature, of human concord, sexual liberation, and feminist spiritual consciousness, as expressed and celebrated in a wild worship of the Universe.

Mellon Room in the Northeast Harbor Library, 1 Joy Road, Northeast Harbor.

What is reverence? Why is it considered one of the four classic virtues? Is it different from religion or spirituality? Using Paul Woodruff’s book "Reverence: Renewing A Forgotten Virtue", we will explore the concept and practice of reverence from ancient China and Greece to the present. No previous knowledge of philosophy or psychology is needed.