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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T180000
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DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
CREATED:20260504T184712Z
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SUMMARY:Open Studio for Drawing with Phil Schorn
DESCRIPTION:Focusing on Graphite\, Color Pencil\, Watercolor Pencil and Pen. \nThis open studio session provides artists of all levels with a dedicated time and space to practice and develop their drawing skills. Students are welcome to work on personal projects or explore a variety of drawing exercises in a relaxed\, supportive environment. Phil will be present to offer guidance\, feedback\, and demonstrations as needed. \nOpen Studio encourages experimentation\, observation\, and creative growth while allowing each artist to work at their own pace. Whether you’re refining foundational techniques or expanding your artistic style\, this session is a great opportunity to draw\, connect with other artists\, and stay inspired. \n \nPhilip Schorn – P Schorn Studio – Botanical Color Pencil Artist His botanical renderings are not scientific studies of plant specimens. They are artistic interpretations of plants. He notices shapes\, light\, and shadows in the ground around him. He often focuses on a single detail – an individual leaf\, a flower\, or a small fragment of earth. In this way\, he brings those details to life. He has worked with colored pencil for several years and has taught the art for the past three. \nPhilip is currently teaching online from his home since March. He teaches online color pencil classes for other art studios/galleries\, private classes and Facebook demos. He has published two books featuring his art and techniques and has done a number of outdoor shows\, group and individual exhibitions. \nPhilip’s process of making a rendering with the detail that he wants to have requires a significant amount of time. Sometimes he uses other media\, such as ink\, watercolors or pastels.\n Philip is a member of the Color Pencil Society of America\, Grayslake Arts Alliance and the Lake County Art League. His studio is located in Grayslake. \nEmail: phil@nullpschornstudio.com   FB: pschornstudio/
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/open-studio-for-drawing-with-phil-schorn-july-21/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Art,Classes
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260721T193000
DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
CREATED:20260423T194906Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T211449Z
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SUMMARY:Sing at Gorton - Americana with Mr. V
DESCRIPTION:Come sing with us at this all-ages Americana community sing led by Bill Vaananen. Part of the Lake Forest 250th Celebration\, this special Sing at Gorton gathering brings people together through songs we know and love. \nFirst\, we’ll warm up! Next\, we will sing a selection of familiar favorites\, including “Take Me Home\, Country Roads\,” “This Land Is Your Land\,” “The City of New Orleans” and “If I Had a Hammer.” No experience is necessary\, and there’s no future commitment – just a chance to share music in a welcoming\, low-pressure setting. \nThe event runs about 45–60 minutes\, followed by refreshments and time to connect. \nGood to know:\n\nOpen to all ages – bring the whole family\nNo experience or vocal knowledge necessary\nOne-off event with no future commitment\nPart of the Lake Forest 250th Celebration\nLed by Bill Vaananen\nRefreshments afterward\n\nBill Vaananen is an award-winning music educator and composer who has taught and directed elementary-aged students for over 45 years. Originally from Oklahoma\, “Mr. V.” was general music teacher at Wescott School in Northbrook for 37 years. He has written hundreds of songs and dozens of original theater works that have been performed across Chicago’s northern suburbs. Recipient of the Golden Apple Award\, IEA Human Rights Award\, National-Louis Distinguished Alumni Award for Social Justice\, and Star of Teaching Award for the State of Illinois\, Vaananen continues to perform classes and presentations for children\, weaving his original music into inspiring lessons on Nature\, history\, culture\, and adventure. \nSing at Gorton is a welcoming community sing series designed to bring people together in a fun\, informal way. Each event is themed around a different style of music\, led by local hosts and open to everyone — no experience or vocal knowledge necessary. These one-off gatherings last about 45–60 minutes and end with refreshments\, making it easy to join in\, connect and sing.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/sing-at-gorton-americana-with-mr-v/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Age,Classes,Community,Events,Live Music,Music,Youth
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T203000
DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
CREATED:20260403T160330Z
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SUMMARY:Line It Up Line Dancing
DESCRIPTION:Grab Your Boots and Get Ready to Line Dance!\nKick the dust off those boots. Pop on that cowboy hat. Slide into your favorite jeans. It’s time for line dancing! \nNever tried it before? Perfect. Want to brush up on your moves? Even better. This class is built for beginners – and for anyone who just wants to have fun. \nWe’ll start slow. Easy steps. Clear breakdowns. No pressure\, no partner\, no problem. Just laughs\, music\, and movement. \nThen\, the real fun begins. We’ll groove through country classics. We’ll jam to high-energy pop hits. These are the dances you’ll see at weddings\, parties\, and dance halls all over. And now\, you’ll know them too. \nCome solo. Come with friends. Either way\, you’ll walk out smiling\, sweaty\, and ready to show off your new moves. \nSo grab your boots\, grab your crew\, and let’s do some line dancing! \nLesley has been dancing her whole life. She’s been classically trained in Ballet and Jazz. She’s been teaching dance for 40 years. She currently works at Lake Forest Health and Fitness and Life Time Fitness in Vernon Hills. Her super power is making everyone feel successful. 
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/line-dancing-july-23/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Music,Wellness
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T203000
DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
CREATED:20260408T192619Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T192619Z
UID:20007176-1784833200-1784838600@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Lakeside Nights: Summer Wine Tasting
DESCRIPTION:Where warm evenings by the lake and effortless wines come together. \nUnwind with a relaxed summer twilight evening tasting inspired by the ease of lakeside living. Set in beautiful Lake Forest\, this guided experience features a curated selection of refreshing\, chillable wines designed for summer evenings—including sparkling pours\, crisp whites\, rosé\, and perfectly chilled reds—ideal for sunset sipping. \nGuests will enjoy a tasting designed to be savored slowly\, highlighting wines that are bright\, balanced\, and effortlessly enjoyable. Held outdoors on the Paddock\, weather permitting\, or within the Solarium. \nThe tasting will include tasting materials and light bites to enjoy alongside the wines. Wines presented and provided by Oakwood Vines\, Lake Forest\, IL.
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/wine-tasting-summer-july-23/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Cooking
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260723T213000
DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
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UID:20007155-1784833200-1784842200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Take Your Painting to the Next Level
DESCRIPTION:Ready to take your painting to the next level?\nThis class is ideal for artists who already have some experience painting in Oil\, Acrylic\, Gouache\, or Pastel and are ready to grow their skills further. If you’ve been wanting to turn a photo into a painting or have started a piece but feel unsure about how to move forward\, this is the perfect opportunity to get expert guidance and renewed inspiration. \nEach student brings in either a reference photo or an unfinished painting to work on during class. From there\, artist and instructor Michael Latala provides hands-on\, individualized instruction to help you make confident artistic decisions. First\, he’ll show you how to evaluate your photo reference—guiding you in choosing what elements to include and what to leave out. Then\, through clear demonstrations\, he’ll help you resolve common issues like washed-out highlights or areas that have gone too dark to read. \nThroughout the class\, Michael gives each student personal attention. If you’d prefer to keep your canvas untouched\, he’s happy to demonstrate his suggestions digitally using Procreate on his iPad Pro. This digital approach allows you to visualize changes before applying them\, which can be especially helpful when exploring different color choices or compositional edits. \nImportantly\, this class is all about progress at your own pace. There’s no pressure to finish quickly. Instead\, you’re encouraged to slow down\, focus on what you’re learning\, and enjoy the process. With consistent support and practice\, you’ll discover how to turn your ideas into beautiful\, well-executed paintings—just the way you imagined them. \nThis series runs on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month: \n\nJuly 9 & 23\nAugust 13 & 27
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/take-your-painting-to-the-next-level-july-23/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Art,Classes
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260724T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260724T130000
DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
CREATED:20260504T170408Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260504T170408Z
UID:20007241-1784894400-1784898000@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Divorcing with Dignity
DESCRIPTION:Are you or someone you know contemplating a divorce?  This workshop will help you to understand the best options for you and your family. If a couple can communicate and be fair and reasonable\, divorce mediation is a path that allows a couple to make 100% of their own decisions about parenting\, financial and property divisions\, child support and alimony\, while allowing them to greatly minimize the negative impact of their divorce on their most valuable assets\, their children. \nMediation is also the least costly and quickest way to get through a divorce in a less stressful manner.  In this session\, you will learn about divorce mediation\, what it is\, how it works\, what it requires\, and why it is the healthiest and least expensive way to divorce. \nIf you cannot attend in person\, you can contact Michael Cohen through his website at michaelsmediation.com to meet 1:1 to review this same information in a confidential manner. \nMichael Cohen is a divorce mediator in Lake Forest who is dedicated to helping families get through the stressful process of a divorce in the healthiest way for the couple and for their children. During a successful career leading diverse teams for a large local company\, Michael trained at Northwestern University to gain his divorce mediation certification and has built a practice whose purpose is to help others.  Michael is a caring\, empathetic leader who will take the time to understand your passions and priorities and will guide you to help you create the best solutions for you and your families. 
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/divorcing-with-dignity-july/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Specialty,Wellness
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260725T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260725T160000
DTSTAMP:20260618T113447
CREATED:20260410T174316Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T152905Z
UID:20007193-1784980800-1784995200@gortoncenter.org
SUMMARY:Accelerated Reiki Levels I & II
DESCRIPTION:Reiki Accelerated Class 1 and 2\nDiscover the Healing Power of Reiki \nReiki is a Japanese energy healing practice that supports physical\, emotional\, and mental balance. It uses gentle touch to channel universal life energy into the body\, helping to promote relaxation and reduce stress. The word Rei means “universal life\,” and Ki means “energy\,” so Reiki literally translates to Universal Life Force Energy. \nThis holistic practice is based on the belief that all living things are sustained by a vital life force. When this energy flows freely\, the body can maintain health and balance. Through Reiki\, practitioners aim to restore this flow\, facilitating healing at physical\, emotional\, and spiritual levels. \nUsing the practitioner’s hands\, Reiki energy is transferred to the recipient\, calming the nervous system and enhancing overall well-being. Many find it to be a deeply soothing and grounding experience. \nWhat You’ll Learn in Our Accelerated Reiki Class\nOur Accelerated Reiki Class is open to everyone and includes both Reiki Level I and Level II certifications. In this course\, participants will: \n\nLearn the core Reiki symbols and their meanings\nReceive clear\, step-by-step instruction from an experienced teacher\nGain hands-on practice with energy work\nEarn a Reiki II certificate upon completion\n\nYou’ll leave the class with the knowledge and confidence to practice Reiki on yourself\, others\, and even animals. \nMeet Your Instructor: Melissa MacTaggart \nMelissa MacTaggart is a certified Reiki Master Teacher who has trained in the Usui method—the oldest form of Reiki. She studied at Zaanti Reiki and Sat Nam Yoga in Chicago and founded Blossom and Bee Reiki in 2018. \nMelissa has led Reiki workshops in both Los Angeles and Chicago. Her passion for energy healing began in her teenage years\, sparking a lifelong journey into the mind-body connection. Today\, she considers Reiki her most beloved modality because of its transformative\, radiant power. Her mission is to help others discover peace and balance through energy work. Melissa’s mantra is\, “Let’s move energy together.”
URL:https://gortoncenter.org/event/accelerated-reiki-levels-i-ii-july/
LOCATION:Gorton Center\, 400 East Illinois Road\, Lake Forest\, IL\, 60045
CATEGORIES:Adults,Classes,Specialty,Wellness
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