Did you realize that one of the greatest treasures in the heart of the heartland is hiding right under our feet? Coldwater Cave, Iowa's longest and most spectacular cave, is located beneath the gently rolling hills of farm country in northeast Iowa. It is a living breathing wonder of nature.  This natural wonder has been studied and mapped since 1967. Come and hear Ron and Nicolette Bonnstetter tell about [...]

What are rituals and how are they different from routines? What purpose do rituals serve, for us and for people around the world? Would we recognize the rituals of another culture? Taught by Cultural Anthropologist, artist-Jan Downey, the focus is on cultural lifeways of humans with whom we share the world. And, along the way, you will be finding out more about yourself. The sessions in this series are designed [...]

Do you love your laptop, but sometimes feel that it doesn't love you back?  Well, we have a class that's going to change that!   We want you to have fun computing! We don't want you to experience any more frustration! In this workshop you will get tons of tech tips for documents, photos, cleaning up email, Zoom, cloud computing (What's that? You'll find out),  finding lost files, and more. Bring [...]

  Learn how to create your own websites using HTML and CSS.  This sounds complicated, but there is nothing hard about it. You will be able to create amazing and beautiful websites with a simple "code". This class is designed for beginners who want to build websites, and get their name and their vision out to the world! This will be a 6-hour class. There will be a 2-hour class [...]

  This session will challenge your ideas about "family". Even if you have studied your family genealogy, this session is a fascinating look at how other cultures understand, think and talk about their relationships to others in their families.  Taught by Cultural Anthropologist, artist-Jan Downey, the focus is on cultural lifeways of humans with who we share the world. And, along the way, you will be finding out more about [...]

As we begin a new year, we all want it to be happy and satisfying. So, see it that way! Visualization is one of the most popular and effective mind workouts that you can do. This class will help you to capture your vision of the future by constructing a vision board. Students will take images from magazines and place them on poster boards. These images represent hopes, dreams, goals, and [...]

  By now, we would have hoped to return to our normal lives. However, this does not seem to be on the immediate horizon. We must heal from the losses of the past two years, and then find tools to strengthen our mental, emotional, and physical health as we move forward.  In this class, I will use my Hybrid-Hypnosis to facilitate the removal of emotional pain, and then provide you [...]

  The definition of "art" is far from standard in the world, but why is that?  How is art conceived by people in different societies, what is its function, and why do we sometimes disagree about what is art -- and what isn't. Join Jan Downey for a lively discussion on this subject, as the #4 class in her fascinating AnthroBites series on Anthropology. When you register, you will be [...]

Cell phones are everywhere, and just about everyone has one.  They have become indispensable to our way of living, and I'm not sure what we would do without them.  However, many of us have barely tapped into the possibilities that a cell phone brings into our lives.  We have gathered a team of experts to enable you to take full advantage of your Smartphone, and smart it is! In this [...]

Pastel is a bold, colorful and exciting form of artistic output and expression. It is executed with fragile, finger-sized sticks.  These drawing crayons, called pastels, are made of powdered pigments. A variety of colors can be achieved and they are spectacular to look at. Your instructor, Beverly Carlson-Bradshaw, will introduce you to a brief history of pastels and types of pastels and papers used. There will be a demo at [...]

  Very much a presence in many societies, shamans and healers are often dismissed as being a "new age" phenomenon. They have been, in many instances, elevated to a mystical and romantic status.  Learn about the important role shamans and healers have held within small-scale socities for most of human history. Join Jan Downey in the 5th of her sessions on Anthropology. There will be a lively discussion, and you [...]

  If you have always been fascinated with watercolor painting, now's your chance. This four-session watercolor workshop is designed for beginners and those current watercolorists who want to achieve more realistic techniques. Instructor, noted local artist, Larry Charles, will teach five techniques for capturing landscapes in fleeting sunlight, quick-sketch plein air pictures, lifelike characters, watercolor postcards, and landscape perspectives. Workshop attendees should bring their own watercolor supplies, based on a list [...]

  Get ready for Valentine's Day with a unique gift! In this class, you will be using the Gelli print techniques to make papers to use for a unique card with a Hard Cover. You will make a simple mini book with an easy bookbinding technique.  You will then go on to make special pages with Tabs, Tags, & Hidden Pockets with fun Pullout Pieces. What a great Valentine surprise! [...]

When you take a prescription drug, or an over-the-counter (OTC) drug, do you always know their side effects and how they will affect your body?  This workshop will identify common OTC and prescription drugs that are used today. Barbara Hewitt, an instructor in Health Sciences, will explain these drugs to us, sharing the basic pharmacology and the physiology of the brain and body.  Long term effects, side effects and risks [...]

Why are people so interested in exploring space? It has always been the great unknown, but with each passing day, our astronomers are finding out more and more. This class is designed to enable attendees to understand how astronomers are able to determine the distance to our moon (first) and then the planets in our solar system, and to our sun. It’s absolutely fascinating how, using something called parallax, we [...]

Nicolette is going to share some amazing art that has been found under floors, plastered behind walls, in cold air registers, and of course, in attics!  She is also going to tell you about things you may have that are valuable!  You won't believe it! SO, YOU HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT….. BRING AN OBJECT YOU HAVE THAT IS COLLECTIBLE OR OF VALUE, THAT YOU CAN TELL A BIT ABOUT IF YOU [...]

Beginners Welcome! This is a metal embossing Basics class. Your instructor, Lynda Abare, will provide everything you need to create a highly textured, amazingly pliable copper bookmark "sampler". We will discuss tools, different ways to patina copper, how to transfer a pattern, and also create several textures using simple hand tools. Click below to register and also get a list of supplies needed for the class. Registration and Supply List [...]

    What is the difference between sex and gender? Do all cultural groups around the world understand these terms the same way? Does new scientific research make the issues related to sex and gender more, or less, clear? Join Jan Downey in the 6th session of her series on Anthropology.  There will be much discussion, and you will learn a lot. Please register 24 hours before the class start [...]

Journalism, in 2022, has become enormously complex with numerous channels of communication, enormous competition, all bombarded onto an increasingly less learned populous.  How did American journalism get where it is and where is it going? This is an in-person class. The cost is $10, and you can pay at the door.

Just in time for Valentine's Day!  Come make a gem heart pendant with Julia Harmon.  You will have your choice of gemstones - shown in the photo are bamboo coral and amethysts. Students can bring jewelry tools, or share class tools. Material fee of $2 paid to instructor at beginning of class.   Register Here

  Race and Ethnicity have been in the news so much lately, but as much as in any time period, these terms are important to discuss and understand. How do we use the terms and how does our understanding inform our relationships with others? Leading us through this important instruction is anthropologist, Jan Downey, who will shed light on the subject in ways we may not have thought of. You [...]

What is cultural appropriation, and how does it differ from cultural appreciation?  Just why is it such a hot button? Can we spot it when it occurs? You will get these answers and more when you join Jan Downey, for her last talk in the AnthroBites Series. She will sum up the series, and leave you with an understanding of our world and its people. Please register 24 hours before [...]

If you did not get a chance to take Mimi's December or January  class, this is your opportunity to get the basic concepts and tips of making Gelli Prints.  Mimi will take you through the individual steps to help you create your own Gelli prints (they are really cool).  Over the next few months, Mimi will be teaching classes at the Holland Center enabling you to use the prints you [...]

Join Phyllis Strupp as she takes a deeper dive into the tools needed to be Better From Within. The secret to living well over age 40 is a brain that lasts as long as your life. This workshop will equip you with proven tools and strategies to optimize health from the inside out. Mind, brain and body health topics include how the brain age faster than the body, and what [...]