Abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky never touched a paintbrush until age 30; Julia Child was in her late 30s when she enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris; and Toni Morrison was 40 when her first book, The Bluest Eye, was published — all a reminder that, as it’s been said many times, it’s never too late to learn something new. Even if you’re not seeking fame and fortune, going “back to school” can be a rewarding, life-enriching experience. There are plenty of locally run classes (both in-person and virtual) to help you gain a new skill, pick up a new hobby or pursue your passions. Here are a few to try.
Embrace Your Artistic Nature
Helmed by Marin locals Nicholas Wilton and Terri Froelich, Art2Life offers an annual 12-week online painting course in January for both budding artists and established painters, along with seven-day destination workshops in locations near and far, from Sonoma to Marrakesh. From $2,400 for the 12-week online program, and from $3,000 for destination workshops.
Channel Your Inner Chef
Prepare (and devour) culinary masterpieces at the Cavallo Point Cooking School, where classes include Oyster Experience, Let’s Talk Fried Chicken, The Art of Fusion and Intro to French Pastries. From $125.
Habla Español
Jetting off to Latin America or Spain next summer? Prep for the journey by enrolling in the College of Marin’s beginning Spanish language class, offered through the school’s community education program. Fall 2 classes run October 17–December 3. $114.
Become a Ballerina
It’s not too late to live out your childhood ballerina fantasy. Adults can learn the basics, from pliés to pirouettes, by taking beginning adult ballet classes at Marin Ballet, which has been “promoting the art of dance” for 60 years. $25 per class, or $22 with a class card.
Publish Your Prose
Book Passage offers in-person and online classes year-round for writers who want to get their work published. Upcoming courses include Self-Editing for Fiction and Memoir Writers (October 1); How to Write a Query Letter (October 8 and 12); and How to Write a Fiction Synopsis (October 22). $95 for classes listed here.
Lotus Abrams has covered everything from beauty to business to tech in her editorial career, but it might be writing about her native Bay Area that inspires her most. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the San Francisco Peninsula, where they enjoy spending time outdoors at the area’s many open spaces protected and preserved by her favorite local nonprofit, the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
