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6 // COASTWEEKEND.COM HOFFMAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS DEBUTS ‘ONLINE AND AT THE BEACH’ Kruse will teach “Creativity Catalyst” while Shor- tridge will teach “Putting Your Prose to Work.” Both Kruse and Shortridge are “veterans” of pre- ducation in the 21st century often means vious workshops and readings at the center and were more than brick-and-mortar classrooms. natural fi ts for the pilot program. There is a bevy of online opportunities “We’ve always had great response to Megan and for all ages and interests. Jennie here as workshop teachers,” the writer series Online students can learn from wher- organizer, Kathie Hightower, said. ever and whenever they want, making Kruse, the author of “Call Me “e-education” an attractive option Home” and recipient of a 2016 Pacifi c for those with busy work and family Northwest Book Award, is excited to be schedules. Or for those who prefer on board. learning from the comfort of their “Life so often gets in the way of our favorite chair and cozy bathrobe. work,” she said. “I want this class to be With that in mind, Manzanita’s a creative hothouse for dormant ideas Hoffman Center For The Arts Writer’s and a jolt of energy.” Series is launching “Online and at Shortridge, author of fi ve novels – the Beach” on May 1. Part of Hoff including “Love Water Memory” and Online, the program will offer writing “When She Flew” — thinks the program and visual arts workshops. will offer a necessary push to writers. SUBMITTED PHOTO While Hoffman Center has always “I’m excited to work with students Manzanita Writers’ Series who’ve been writing for a while, but offered a broad range of workshops, has off ered many work- aren’t quite sure how to go to the next the center’s President Vera Wildauer shops over the years. said the time has come to expand level,” she said, adding that the class their repertoire beyond the half-day, will provide clear, concrete practices Author J e in-house format. and methods that aren’t necessarily taught in class- Pr ose To W nnie Shortrid g o h e SU B lp “It allows for a more in-depth learning experience,” rooms in her experience. writers rk” and beli e will teach “ Puttin MIT TED PHOTO eves t take th g Y h she said. “Students appreciate the fl exibility and can e e next step. class will our ‘Hard to beat the beach’ work on their own schedule and from anywhere.” For the Hoffman Center For The Arts, this “Online and at the Beach” will reach people program is an exciting step in a new direction. It has who might only come to the beach for holidays and the potential to reach writers on the Oregon Coast, the weekends, as well as coastal residents farther south or Pacifi c Northwest and the country. north. The hope is that future classes will expand to Wildauer said people in Clatsop, Tillamook and Lincoln counties often try to participate in the center’s include other artistic endeavors such as painting and programs but aren’t always able to because of work or music instruction. But writing always seemed like the natural com- weather conditions. “Tillamook County is a very long county, and while ponent to start with as it combines the best of both worlds: e-learning with workshopping. we regularly get participants who live in Pacifi c City Hightower said that, over the years, the center’s or Neskowin, offering online learning makes it easier programs such as the Writers Series and PoetryFest for them to connect with us,” she said. have offered valuable interaction time between writers ‘A creative hothouse’ and teachers. The fi ve-week online course culminates in an She thinks that interaction – along with the renewal optional writing retreat weekend in Manzanita the and healing aspect of the beach setting – will make weekend of June 2, a gathering that will allow students “Online and at the Beach” successful. to meet their instructor and fellow students, and enjoy Wildauer agrees. additional craft writing sessions. “It’s hard to beat the beach for inspiration and Participants will also have an opportunity to read learning,” she said. their work at an open mic, try “Yoga for Writers,” go Classes begin May 1. To register, visit www.hoff- OTO on hikes, and dive into a “Prompt-O-Rama.” manblog.org/hoff-online. T E D PH SU B M IT ity iv t a e r The intention, Wildauer said, is to complement “Online and at the Beach” was supported, in part, ch C a e t l il w the online courses with a weekend retreat as often as by a grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust: Oregonians Arts. Home,” all Me enter for the C “ f o possible. sustaining, developing and participating in our arts, r C autho h Hoff man Kruse, g The initial series instructors will be prominent heritage and humanities. Megan t online throu Pacifi c Northwest authors Megan Kruse and Jennie Dan Haag is the manager of the Manzanita Visitors Catalys Shortridge. Center. By DAN HAAG FOR COAST WEEKEND