LEADER
Wendy O’Brien is a philosopher and teacher. With over 30 years’ experience teaching in post-secondary education, she’s given talks and led seminars on creativity, beauty and wonder at Humber College, Oxford University, Harvard, The Art Gallery of Ontario, The Women’s Art Association, Classical Pursuits and The International Festival of Authors. She recently retired from academe to focus her attention on The Wonder Project, a long-term investigation into the concept of wonder and its relation to artistic excellence, natural beauty and scientific discoveries.
BOOKS
Aesthetics: The Classic Readings by David E. Cooper
(Wiley Blackwell, 2nd Edition, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1119116806
SEMINAR OVERVIEW
“The real voyage of discovery consists in not seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
How often have you stood in front of painting, just stood there not knowing exactly what you are looking at or how to look at it? Have you ever overheard others talking about a painting you both are looking at, and — well, just not known how it is possible its the same work that you are viewing?
In this seminar we’ll explore modern western theories of how (and why) we look at art. Starting with an overview of Kant’s theory of beauty, we will go on to consider expressionism (Tolstoy), formalism (Bell), hermeneutics (Heidegger), and Artworld theory (Danto) applying these methods for looking to works by Tom Thomson in the permanent collection at The Art Gallery of Ontario. We’ll head out on what Proust described as the “real voyage of discovery” by not “seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”
Toronto Pursuits pricing options
All seminars are $150 off through February 28. Sale prices are automatically applied.
Bring a friend and save even more! Take $100 off your registration for every new friend you bring to Toronto Pursuits. Your friend also saves $100 on their registration. Choose your discount from the dropdown menu based on the number of friends who also plan to register, and let us know your friend’s name in the order notes.
The fine print: To get the bring-a-friend discount, your friend must not have registered for any previous Toronto Pursuits seminar in any year. Your friend must register by July 1, 2025, or Classical Pursuits will apply the nondiscounted price to your final payment. Limit one $100 discount per participant for being referred as a new friend. For example, if person A brings new friend B, person C cannot also claim friend B for the bring-a-friend discount. If friend B brings new friend D, friend B qualifies for $100 discount for being a new referral, and an additional $100 for referring new friend D. Classical Pursuits reserves the right to make all decisions about discount eligibility.
Toronto Pursuits 2025
See the Toronto Pursuits 2025 page for full details on the program schedule, health and safety, booking your accommodations, terms and conditions, and more.
