Osher art exhibit reception set March 11 at Dover Public Library

The public is invited to an exhibit by artists from the University of Delaware's Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes throughout the state. Sponsored by the Dover lifelong learning program and cosponsored by the National League of American Pen Women, Holly Branch, and the Dover Public Library, the exhibit will take place March 8 through April 5 at the Dover Public Library.

An opening reception will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 11, at the Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover. The community is invited to participate in tours of the exhibit and the library, as well as meet the artists and discuss their works. Some of the exhibited works will be for sale by the artists.

The upcoming exhibit represents the first event to feature artists from all three of Delaware's Osher Lifelong Learning programs, which are located in Wilmington, Dover, Lewes and Ocean View. Each program has a wide offering of art-related courses taught by artists who are program members. Delaware's Osher Lifelong Learning programs are academic cooperatives for those 50 and over, with the more than 3,000 members coming from a variety of educational backgrounds and all walks of life, attending from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland.

As the youngest of UD's Lifelong Learning programs, the Dover program was the most recent to add art to its course offerings. In fact, when Dover artist Jan Miller first joined the program, it was with the intention of enrolling in art enrichment classes for herself, as well as literature, poetry and psychology classes.

With no art offerings at the time, program staff actually recruited Miller to develop and teach the first art class, asking, "Why don't you just come and share what you know?" With over 50 years' experience as an artist, self-taught and through taking a variety of art classes over the years, Miller became the Dover program's first art instructor.

"My dream career was in fine arts, and five semesters later I am teaching up to five different classes, including drawing, oil painting, color and composition, and open studio," said Miller. "I challenge myself and my students to do a better job. Study and preparation give me a new purpose." Some of Miller's students have since entered art shows and won ribbons. "I could not be more proud," Miller said.

She added, "The rewards for volunteering are in many ways adding more to my life than a bank could hold. I am surrounded by people with like interests. I have new goals every day. My self-esteem has improved as well as my health and general well-being."

"As the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute completes its fifth year in Dover, it is maturing into a vibrant, well-rounded program," said new coordinator Tim Plimpton. "The art exhibit is an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to enriching the lives of 50-plus adults in Delaware through a shared learning community."

For more information about UD's Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, go to www.lifelonglearning.udel.edu/, or contact the individual programs in Dover, 302-736-7450 or LLL-dover@udel.edu; Lewes/Ocean View, 302-645-4111 or LLL-lewes@udel.edu; or Wilmington, 302-573-4417 or LLL-wilm@udel.edu.

For questions about the upcoming art show, contact Joyce Hammond Lewis, volunteer art coordinator, Dover Public Library at myfavjoyce@gmail.com or 302-632-9680.