We all know Tiffany’s—they of the robin’s egg blue box—but how many people understand that there were two Tiffanys, father and son, whose businesses were separate but entwined? The firms of Father (Charles Lewis) and son (Louis Comfort) exhibited side by side at the World’s Fair of 1900 in Paris. At his father’s death, Louis Comfort Tiffany took the artistic helm of his father’s firm. This lecture will focus on glass: the medium Tiffany Studios is best-known for today: Tiffany’s experiments in the medium, his favrile glass, his windows, his lamps and his reputation.

This guided tour will bring attendees into the Courtroom for a discussion of how the Court functions, as well as the history of the Supreme Court building and its architecture. Attendees will also visit some of the formal conference rooms, the Great Hall, and the Library. Participants are responsible for their own transportation and will meet at the Court.  Limit: 10 The Supreme Court is located on 1st Street NE between Constitution and Independence Avenues. Please enter the building via the Visitor Entrance, located to either side of the main steps on the front plaza, and proceed through security screening. Please allow time as there may be a line.  A guide from the Curator’s Office will be posted at the John Marshall statue—the large bronze statue located at the end of the carpet on the ground floor. Please see this link for a list of prohibited items. The guide will provide more explicit instruction during the tour. Photos taken by guests elsewhere in the building are approved for personal memento use only and not for publication, and they may not be used in any manner that would convey endorsement by the Supreme Court. If you have any special needs, please inform Oasis ASAP and we will do our best to accommodate you. Please note that the class fee will be used to cover Washington Metro Oasis’s administrative costs. Neither Oasis nor the Court is profiting from this tour.

The hard-driving, piano-pounding style that is most often associated with men like Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Pinetop Perkins and a host of others often overshadows the contributions to the idiom by women. We'll take a look and listen to some of the thumpin' and pumpin' piano women from Katie Webster, and Martha Davis to the present younger generation who now carry the torch, like Marcia Ball.

The hard-driving, piano-pounding style that is most often associated with men like Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Pinetop Perkins and a host of others often overshadows the contributions to the idiom by women. We'll take a look and listen to some of the thumpin' and pumpin' piano women from Katie Webster, and Martha Davis to the present younger generation who now carry the torch, like Marcia Ball.

Fred Astaire was one of the twentieth century’s greatest magicians—his sorcery depended on making some of the most complex dancing ever seen on the screen seem as effortless as breathing. Revered as a genius by everyone from Balanchine to Baryshnikov, Astaire appeared in a total of 133 dance numbers in 31 films, a significant portion of which are considered timeless classics of movie choreography. This talk will survey the sweep of Astaire’s remarkable career, looking at his work both as a soloist and as the most romantic dance partner in Hollywood history.

How do painters manipulate our perceptions and communicate their visions through composition, line, brushwork, texture and color? Why do paintings of the same subject move us, repel us, excite us in vastly different ways? Learn to look critically at paintings and develop informed opinions in this exploration of basic art principles, painting styles, techniques and artists in Western art.

How do painters manipulate our perceptions and communicate their visions through composition, line, brushwork, texture and color? Why do paintings of the same subject move us, repel us, excite us in vastly different ways? Learn to look critically at paintings and develop informed opinions in this exploration of basic art principles, painting styles, techniques and artists in Western art.

We'll focus on the most common drugs used by older adults (e.g., statins, blood thinners, blood pressure, bone building).  What are common side effects of these drugs and how do they interact with other otc drugs, herbals, supplements, food, etc?  We'll also discuss how to safely manage and store home medications.

Are you worried about falling? Maybe had a fall or more recently? Erika Campbell is a fitness instructor and personal trainer with 10 years experience. She has been instructing balance classes with Oasis for the last 3 years. This class will give you some tools to help you understand factors affecting balance and some exercises to improve it. Please come with a stable chair, pencil, notepad and enthusiasm to learn and have some fun!

It’s pretty well-known that “in 1492, Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue.” But what was he really after? Why did nearly every major western European nation reject his offer to work for them? And was he really venturing into the unknown--- or did he have Insider Information (in the form of stolen map data)? This course looks at the forces that shaped the early modern European world: The chase after spices; the development of great oceanic sailing ships; the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople; the competition for new sea routes to Asia; and how the competing nations tried every trick in the book to gain an advantage over their competitors!!

Iconic lyricist Johnny Mercer left the deep south during the Depression for New York and Hollywood, where he collaborated with the greatest popular composers of the 30s, 40s and 50s. Mercer’s words are an integral part of the Great American Songbook, including such hits as “Skylark”, “Blues in the Night,” and “Moon River.” Singer/actor Julie Kurzava tells the stories and gives a performer’s perspective on the works of American masters of popular song and musical theater. Formerly on the faculty at the Peabody Conservatory Road Scholar Program, she currently teaches voice at Loyola University Maryland.

"Men, get on your arms; we will proceed to the Ferry,” ordered John Brown one October night in 1859. The ferry was Harpers Ferry, home to the largest arsenal of rifles in the United States. Brown hoped to capture Harpers Ferry and arm a nationwide slave revolt. But it all went wrong almost immediately and Brown was hanged having failed to free a single slave. Why, then, University of Maryland historian Richard Bell asks, was John Brown’s raid so significant?

Enjoy the gardens, forest, meadows, and stream at Woodend, headquarters of the Audubon Naturalist Society. We will take a leisurely walk to highlight the efforts taken to restore native biodiversity to this urban oasis. Native plant formal gardens, forest and meadow restoration, permeable trails, and a newly restored stream will all be explored during our walk.  Even if you took the Oasis tour last fall, there is plenty new to see.   Participants are responsible for their own transportation. Woodend is located at 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. Bathrooms in the mansion will be available, as well as a composting toilet along our walk. We will primarily be walking on solid ground or mowed areas. The trail in the forest is wheelchair accessible.