All webinars are free to join and most take place at 12:00 or 2:00 Eastern Time. If you cannot attend at the
scheduled time, please register anyway in order to receive the recording
afterwards. You can watch at a time that's convenient for you! Scroll to the bottom to see past webinars and their recordings.
They Came to Paris, Walk II: "Strolling Into the Modern" with Lisa Pasold
Thursday, June 11 at 2:00 PM ET | Register here
Writer, traveller, and long-time parisienne Lisa Pasold leads an hour-long virtual walk into the astonishing early 20th-century changes in the Paris village of Passy, on the Right Bank overlooking the Seine. This is the era of “They Came to Paris”—the early years of the 20th century when many American artists, writers and musicians chose to live and work in Paris because of the artistic and social climate. The western part of the city was newly chic, with radical new architecture and experimental theatre.
We’ll start at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées—a gorgeous Art Deco building where Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring first caused a riot, Josephine Baker launched her life-long love affair with France, and Picasso created radical Cubist theatre sets. From here, we’ll go west and examine the cultural shifts that changed the writer Balzac’s quiet village of Passy into an urban centre of Modernist architecture. We’ll look at the gorgeous work of Auguste Perret—who turned his father’s construction business into an award-winning architectural firm. In fact, in 1910, Le Corbusier was working in Perret’s office. And we’ll walk with Picasso's best friend, Apollinaire, to hear what he wrote about the 1910 floods that swept through his neighbourhood.
Make yourself a café au lait or pour yourself a glass of sparkling wine, and go exploring along the gorgeous bank of the Seine—brought to you virtually via this Classical Pursuits webinar.
We’ll start at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées—a gorgeous Art Deco building where Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring first caused a riot, Josephine Baker launched her life-long love affair with France, and Picasso created radical Cubist theatre sets. From here, we’ll go west and examine the cultural shifts that changed the writer Balzac’s quiet village of Passy into an urban centre of Modernist architecture. We’ll look at the gorgeous work of Auguste Perret—who turned his father’s construction business into an award-winning architectural firm. In fact, in 1910, Le Corbusier was working in Perret’s office. And we’ll walk with Picasso's best friend, Apollinaire, to hear what he wrote about the 1910 floods that swept through his neighbourhood.
Make yourself a café au lait or pour yourself a glass of sparkling wine, and go exploring along the gorgeous bank of the Seine—brought to you virtually via this Classical Pursuits webinar.
Birds of the Galapagos with Justin Peter
Tuesday, June 9 at 12:00 PM ET | Register here
The Galapagos Islands are often touted as a laboratory of evolution by natural selection, and some of the archipelago’s birds are among the best-studied organisms anywhere. In this talk illustrated with photographs from his three expeditions there, Justin will help us get acquainted with some of these birds. We’ll see what they look like, how they behave and interact with fellow Galapagos denizens, as well as gain insights into their origins through some of the latest research findings stemming from decades of research.
Tuesday, June 9 at 12:00 PM ET | Register here
The Galapagos Islands are often touted as a laboratory of evolution by natural selection, and some of the archipelago’s birds are among the best-studied organisms anywhere. In this talk illustrated with photographs from his three expeditions there, Justin will help us get acquainted with some of these birds. We’ll see what they look like, how they behave and interact with fellow Galapagos denizens, as well as gain insights into their origins through some of the latest research findings stemming from decades of research.
Bears I Have Known: Memories from 28 Years Studying Black Bears and Polar Bears with Dr. Martyn Obbard
RESCHEDULED - NEW DATE AND TIME TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Join Dr. Martyn Obbard as he shares compelling stories of some of the individual bears he came to know well over years of studying them and show how they revealed to him some fascinating aspects of their life.
Marty is an emeritus research scientist and the former resident bear biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and adjunct professor at Trent University (Peterborough, Ontario). A seasoned field-naturalist and explorer, Marty is very familiar with the landscapes and wildlife of the boreal forest and tundra. His love of the outdoors and tremendous respect he has for wildlife are obvious to anyone who interacts with him.
RESCHEDULED - NEW DATE AND TIME TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Join Dr. Martyn Obbard as he shares compelling stories of some of the individual bears he came to know well over years of studying them and show how they revealed to him some fascinating aspects of their life.
Marty is an emeritus research scientist and the former resident bear biologist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and adjunct professor at Trent University (Peterborough, Ontario). A seasoned field-naturalist and explorer, Marty is very familiar with the landscapes and wildlife of the boreal forest and tundra. His love of the outdoors and tremendous respect he has for wildlife are obvious to anyone who interacts with him.
Renaissance Florence | COMPLETED: Watch the Recording HERE (50 min., followed by Q&A)
Visit
the Gallerie degli Uffizi, the Accademia, and beautiful churches such
as the Duomo, Santa Maria Novella and Santo Spirito. See the artwork of
Giotto, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Masaccio, Michelangelo and others.
Click here for supplemental information about artists discussed in this webinar.
Visit
the Museo del Prado to see the paintings of Velázquez, Ribera and Goya.
Manet was so amazed by seeing Velázquez at the Prado that he wrote to
his friend Fantin-Latour back in Paris, “After this none of us are
painters.”
Click here for supplemental information for this webinar.
Click here for supplemental information for this webinar.
A Naturalist in Mauritius: A Research Travelogue with Patrick Moldowan | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE. (47 min, followed by Q&A)
Join Quest Nature Tours leader Patrick Moldowan for a research travelogue that will whisk you off to the western Indian Ocean. As a recipient of Wildlife Preservation Canada's New Noah scholarship, Patrick was involved with intensive species conservation efforts in Mauritius. The island is home to a diversity of unique flora and fauna and present-day conservation efforts are ensuring that they do not go the way of the Dodo. Patrick will share insights on the natural history of Mauritius and his experiences in conservation.
Join Quest Nature Tours leader Patrick Moldowan for a research travelogue that will whisk you off to the western Indian Ocean. As a recipient of Wildlife Preservation Canada's New Noah scholarship, Patrick was involved with intensive species conservation efforts in Mauritius. The island is home to a diversity of unique flora and fauna and present-day conservation efforts are ensuring that they do not go the way of the Dodo. Patrick will share insights on the natural history of Mauritius and his experiences in conservation.
Visit
the Rijksmuseum to see the paintings of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals and
Leyster. Visit Rembrandt’s house to see where the great painter lived
and worked.
Friday, April 17 at 2:00PM ET: Belle Époque in Paris | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE (64 mins, followed by Q&A)
Visit
the Musée du Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay to see masterpieces of
neoclassicism, romanticism, realism and impressionism. Along with works
by famous figures such as David, Ingres, Corot, Monet and Degas, you
will also see by pictures by some underappreciated artists: the
African-American French Académie-trained painter Henry Osawa Tanner,
Cecilia Beaux and Mary Cassatt.
Walk Through the Heart of Montmartre in 1910 Paris with Lisa Pasold | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE
(We started having sound connection issues at 23:30, so please at that time fast forward to 37:30 where we got the connection back and Lisa backtracked to make sure everything was covered)
Writer,
traveller, and long-time parisienne Lisa Pasold led an hour-long
virtual walk through the heart of Montmartre in 1910 Paris. (We started having sound connection issues at 23:30, so please at that time fast forward to 37:30 where we got the connection back and Lisa backtracked to make sure everything was covered)
Armchair Art Tours Part II: Monet & the Impressionists | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE. (68 min. + Q&A)
Join Wendy O'Brien, philosopher of art and garden enthusiast, as she armchair travels to some of the world's greatest gardens. Combining history and design with painting and literature, she will help us to experience these magnificent spaces from within our own homes. This webinar focuses on Monet and the Impressionists in Giverny, France.
Join Wendy O'Brien, philosopher of art and garden enthusiast, as she armchair travels to some of the world's greatest gardens. Combining history and design with painting and literature, she will help us to experience these magnificent spaces from within our own homes. This webinar focuses on Monet and the Impressionists in Giverny, France.
Learning to identify birds by their vocalizations can add an entirely new dimension to our enjoyment of the outdoors. However, it can be a daunting undertaking. In this webinar, Justin will share some approaches to confidently identifying birds by their calls.
This webinar is part of Point Pelee National Park's Festival of Birds Lunch & Learn series.
Armchair Art Tours Part II: Sissinghurst & Monk’s House: The British Garden Painting Tradition | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE. (63 min. + Q&A)
Join Wendy O'Brien, philosopher of art and garden enthusiast, as she armchair travels to some of the world's greatest gardens. Combining history and design with painting and literature, she will help us to experience these magnificent spaces from within our own homes. This webinar focuses on Sissinghurst and Monk’s House: The British Garden Painting Tradition.
Join Wendy O'Brien, philosopher of art and garden enthusiast, as she armchair travels to some of the world's greatest gardens. Combining history and design with painting and literature, she will help us to experience these magnificent spaces from within our own homes. This webinar focuses on Sissinghurst and Monk’s House: The British Garden Painting Tradition.
Chris Earley, tour leader and author of the popular book Hawks and Owls of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America, shows you how to identify hawks with greater confidence. As always, Chris makes this an educational and fun experience!
Chris Earley is also the University of Guelph Arboretum's interpretive biologist.
This webinar is part of Point Pelee National Park's Festival of Birds Lunch & Learn series.
An Introduction to Gull Identification with Justin Peter | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE. (82 min. + Q&A)
Many birders are intimidated by gulls. Many of them look similar to each other, and they exhibit a plethora of plumages. Justin will discuss some ways you can become more comfortable with this group of birds, and even come to enjoy them!
This webinar is part of Point Pelee National Park's Festival of Birds Lunch & Learn series.
Armchair Art Tours Part II: Re-envisioning the Garden with Frida Kahlo | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE. (71 min. + Q&A)
Join
Wendy O'Brien, philosopher of art and garden enthusiast, as she
armchair travels to some of the world's greatest gardens. Combining
history and design with painting and literature, she will help us to
experience these magnificent spaces from within our own homes. This
webinar focuses on re-envisioning the garden with Frida Kahlo.
Feed the Birds with Chris Earley | COMPLETED: Watch the recording HERE. (39 min. + Q&A)
As many of us are staying home more than normal, watching backyard birds is a great way to connect with nature and reduce stress. Join Chris Earley, University of Guelph Arboretum's interpretive biologist, as he talks about the contents of his latest book titled Feed the Birds. He will cover favourite foods, the best feeders, how to keep birds safe and what cool bird behaviours to watch for in your backyard or local park. Ask your burning bird questions at the end of the talk!
This webinar is part of Point Pelee National Park's Festival of Birds Lunch & Learn series.
The War That Used Up Words? Literature in Paris 1910 - 1940 with Melanie Blake | COMPLETED: Watch it HERE. (74 min. + Q&A)
For decades, works like Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris have captivated our imaginations with their images of lively cafés that were a refuge from cold and poverty, of smoky clubs full of gin and jazz, and above all, of a city surging with creative energy. And rightly so—the decade after World War I was a time of radical experimentation in novels, poetry, painting, dance and more.
But it is only part of the story. Writers on both sides of the Atlantic were tapping into forces that had long made Paris a beacon of innovation. In this talk we’ll explore the wider panoply of prewar and postwar writers and discuss how the war intensified the already-present quest for new modes of expression. Immerse yourself in this unforgettable period and leave with a deeper understanding of literature in Paris, 1910–1940.
For decades, works like Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast and Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris have captivated our imaginations with their images of lively cafés that were a refuge from cold and poverty, of smoky clubs full of gin and jazz, and above all, of a city surging with creative energy. And rightly so—the decade after World War I was a time of radical experimentation in novels, poetry, painting, dance and more.
But it is only part of the story. Writers on both sides of the Atlantic were tapping into forces that had long made Paris a beacon of innovation. In this talk we’ll explore the wider panoply of prewar and postwar writers and discuss how the war intensified the already-present quest for new modes of expression. Immerse yourself in this unforgettable period and leave with a deeper understanding of literature in Paris, 1910–1940.
The War That Used Up Words? Part II: Poetry of WWI with Melanie Blake | COMPLETED: Watch it HERE. (52. min + Q&A)
What
happens when large numbers of literate soldiers are “plunged into
inhumane conditions?” World War I was the first global conflict in which
(with some exceptions) most soldiers could read and write. The result
was an outpouring of novels, memoirs, plays, songs, and above all,
poetry.
Most of these poems are long forgotten, and just a few famous works linger in our memories. These few poems have had an enormous influence on how three generations have thought about World War I. Poems like Rupert Brooke’s “1914”, John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields”, and perhaps above all Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”.
But they tell only a small part of the story. Journey with me to the Western front for a fresh look at the poetry of WWI.
Most of these poems are long forgotten, and just a few famous works linger in our memories. These few poems have had an enormous influence on how three generations have thought about World War I. Poems like Rupert Brooke’s “1914”, John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields”, and perhaps above all Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est”.
But they tell only a small part of the story. Journey with me to the Western front for a fresh look at the poetry of WWI.
