On Saturday, April 20 via Zoom, join Science Saturday hosts as they welcome Storyteller, Filmmaker and Conservationist, Gavin Shwahla.

Gavin Shwahla, is on a mission to rewild the planet through rewilding his soul! Gavin shares the journey of his career as a biologist turned filmmaker and photographer, interviewing his own personal journey to overcome fear and anxiety to live his most authentic, actualized self. Providing examples of how the inner healing of our own lives can have profound, positive effects on the world around us. Prepare to see nature in a deeper way, remember the beauty of life, and discover just how much power we have to create the world we wish to live in... this is rewilding your soul!

In this workshop, come learn how to Mosaic with glass with Cheryl Syminink! Made on a 6x8” piece of wood, you will learn the art of mosaic, how to use glass tools, cut glass and grout your piece that same class. 

NOTE: You must come with a design idea to class, because no two mosaics are ever alike. 

Cheryl Syminink has been working with glass for 20 years and finds most of her inspiration from nature.

Protecting Marsh and Saving Birds at Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge

On April 13th via Zoom, join the LBIF and Virginia Rettig, Refuge Manager at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR.

Virginia will discuss new techniques in marsh restoration projects and talk about what you can do to save migratory birds in your own home.

Virginia received her B.S. in Environmental and Forest Biology in 1991 from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. She received her M.S. in Wildlife Biology in 1994 from Louisiana State University working on use of agricultural fields by shorebirds. She began working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Lafayette, LA Ecological Services Field Office in 1995. She then moved to the refuge division and worked at the Southeast Louisiana Refuges complex, Cat Island NWR, and Cape May NWR. She spent two years as an Assistant Refuge Supervisor in the Regional Office in Hadley, Massachusetts before heading to Forsythe Refuge in 2010. She enjoys creating habitat for wildlife in her garden and traveling to explore natural areas. She volunteers to support teachers and STEM in South Jersey through the American Association of University Women.

Join Jane Zamost in this mixed media collage workshop as you create the tree of life that speaks to you - its colors, branches, production of sprouts and/or leaves. Inspired by the start of the Spring Season, the change we feel in the air, and the inner peace felt when walking amongst the trees, you will express the comfort found in the roots grounding you to the earth and grasp joy when reaching new heights. 

What better way to begin Spring than with your creation of “the tree of life?” This workshop will ask you what tree you connect with. The willow arching above? The overflowing maple? The magnolia budding its vivid blooms or the elm rising high above? Bring pictures from magazines, your own photos, the colors you associate with your tree – paints, crayons and colored pencils- any medium that speaks to you! We will explore it all in this workshop and gain connection as we embrace this season together. 

Artist Bio:

Jane Zamost is a painter and mixed media artist intrigued with the healing arts and its profound effect on the human spirit. She has gained community recognition for her involvement in the healing arts leading workshops and creating artworks that inspire optimism, calm and social justice. Formerly, Jane Zamost was the Healing Arts Program Coordinator at Capital Health, one of the founding partners of LUX Gallery  and in her earlier career, Senior Vice President at Projects In Knowledge, a medical  education/communications company.

Jane’s works have been exhibited in five solo and, more than seventy two-person and  group exhibits based in the United States and Canada. Her works can be viewed on the TV show Househunters, film “Hide,” Copelouzos Family Art Museum in Athens, Greece, the web site ArtSpan Contemporary Art, www.JaneZamost.com, and in private, corporate and hospital collections in the United States including nearby Capital Health (Pennington and Trenton hospitals) and Englewood Health in north Jersey.

Prevent Balloon Litter: Protect our Coast

On April 6th via Zoom, join the LBIF and Devon Haines, Department lead for New Jersey’s networked Coastal Management Program.

Members from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection work together with other State agencies throughout the Mid-Atlantic through the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO). Learn about MARCO and the Mid-Atlantic States' efforts to reduce marine and balloon debris. Learn about balloon litter and how to affects New Jersey coasts as well as how the State has been working on clean ups and prevention of future balloon litter. Join us to help prevent balloon litter through inspirational, colorful, litter-free ideas. 

Devon Haines is an Environmental Specialist within New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Climate Resilience Planning, which serves as the Department's lead for New Jersey’s networked Coastal Management Program. The NJCMP coordinates planning, research, policy and permitting for coastal and ocean issues. She has over 5 years of experience working in the NJCMP in project management as well as serving on committees and boards including: Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO); Mid Atlantic Committee on the Ocean (MACO); the Mid Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network (MACAN).

In this 5-week class every Thursday, join a member of the LBIF staff as they walk you through the basics of thrown pottery. You will be guided in throwing, trimming and glazing clay in a relaxed, creative environment. Enjoy a laid-back approach to learning how to throw on the wheel. Bring a towel and wear clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty. Close-toed shoes are also recommended.

Dates of Thursday Classes (6:00PM - 8:00PM): April 4, 11, 18, 25 and May 2

A FREE Empowering Event where we delve into crucial discussions surrounding women in business and life, the power of women supporting women, and the undeniable truth that we are more alike than we are different.

Hone in your ceramic skills in this 5-week class every Tuesday. A directed studio environment where ideas and challenges are brought to the table and problem solved. Demos and lectures are provided as needed. The goal of this class is to make your ceramic visions a reality. The class is taught by our ceramic studio manager, Jeff.

Dates of Tuesday Classes (9:30AM - 12:00PM): April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

Forecasting the Weather From the Open Ocean to the Jersey Shore

On March 30 via Zoom, join the LBIF and Michael Folmer, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Ocean Prediction Center in College Park, MD.

Saturday’s discussion will cover Folmer's work at the National Weather Service Ocean Prediction Center providing life saving forecast products and IDSS for the US Coast Guard, cruise lines, the cargo industry, and the everyday mariner--particularly those that venture beyond 60 nautical miles offshore. The second part of Folmer's talk will describe the Jersey Shore Mesonet, which includes the LBIF weather station and where Folmer and colleagues intend to grow the network over the coming years.

Folmer has been forecasting for OPC for nearly 5 years, and prior to that he was the Satellite Liaison for the GOES-R/JPSS satellite programs at OPC, the Weather Prediction Center, National Hurricane Center Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch, and the NESDIS Satellite Analysis Branch. Although he has a tropical meteorology background, satellite and mid-latitude weather have become his main focus.

All around us we see patterns whether it be in nature, on our clothes, in our homes and perhaps, unbeknownst to our conscious selves, these patterns soothe us. They speak to us in subliminal ways. Join Jane Zamost as she guides you through recognizing the joy of creating those patterns that we connect with everyday. Materials can include magazines, stationery, newspaper, tissue paper, gift wrap, nature, etc. 

Please note: $15 materials fee paid to instructor day of workshop

Artist Bio:

Jane Zamost is a painter and mixed media artist intrigued with the healing arts and its profound effect on the human spirit. She has gained community recognition for her involvement in the healing arts leading workshops and creating artworks that inspire optimism, calm and social justice. Formerly, Jane Zamost was the Healing Arts Program Coordinator at Capital Health, one of the founding partners of LUX Gallery  and in her earlier career, Senior Vice President at Projects In Knowledge, a medical  education/communications company.

Jane’s works have been exhibited in five solo and, more than seventy two-person and  group exhibits based in the United States and Canada. Her works can be viewed on the TV show Househunters, film “Hide,” Copelouzos Family Art Museum in Athens, Greece, the web site ArtSpan Contemporary Art, www.JaneZamost.com, and in private, corporate and hospital collections in the United States including nearby Capital Health (Pennington and Trenton hospitals) and Englewood Health in north Jersey.

Energy production, Distribution, and Conservation

On March 16 via Zoom, join the LBIF and Ray Bukowski, Managing Director of Government Relations, Communications and Sustainability at New Jersey Resources as he discusses energy production, distribution, and conservation.

Mr. Bukowski is the Managing Director of Government Relations, Communications and Sustainability at New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), a leading energy infrastructure company that provides safe, reliable natural gas and renewable energy services, including transportation, distribution, storage, asset management, development, and retail services. He is responsible for leading strategy and teams dedicated to advancing NJR’s sustainability and decarbonization goals. Mr. Bukowski joined NJR in 2021, and previously served as Director of Environmental Strategy and Project Compliance at New Jersey Natural Gas, the principal subsidiary of the Fortune 1000 company. Prior to joining NJR, he spent nearly 30 years at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where he served in numerous leadership roles, including, Assistant Commissioner of Natural and Historic Resources and Assistant Commissioner of Compliance and Enforcement, and worked in multiple media areas and on key environmental programs. A graduate of Stockton University, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and is a member of the Ocean County Soil Conservation District board of supervisors and member of Converse Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey board of directors.  

Registration Required

LBT Field Station and the Bay Island Initiative

On March 9th via Zoom, join the LBIF and Angela Andersen, Sustainability Director for Long Beach Township and manager of the Township's Marine Education Field Station in Holgate as she discusses the Long Beach Township Field Station formation and public programs planned for the summer.

Angela will present on the Long Beach Township Field Station formation and public programs planned for the summer and the focal science projects running through the facility year round. She will focus on the NJ Bay Island Initiative group and the multiple grants funded projects the township and their partners have secured to inventory, research and plan for restoration of the complex of marsh islands in our bay for coastal and community resilience. 

Seeing Red: Engaging Future Generations in Osprey Conservation

On March 2nd via Zoom, join the LBIF and Ben Wurst, Senior Wildlife Biologist with Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, as he discusses efforts to monitor and manage ospreys over the past decade, after all known nests were mapped publicly online.

Ospreys have made a resounding recovery throughout New Jersey, where over 800 pairs now nest along the majority of the coast and inland. Today, citizen scientists play a leading role in monitoring ospreys and the health of their population throughout the state. Ben Wurst will also discuss Project RedBand, an osprey banding and re-sighting project that was founded on Long Beach Island and how the public can help contribute to their long term stability by reporting nest activity and auxiliary bands observed on adults. 

MyCoast New Jersey: How you can capture science to inform coastal resilience planning

Join the LBIF and Amanda Archer on February 24 via Zoom to discuss MyCoast:New Jersey as a platform for communities to learn about climate-related flood risks and document coastal changes over time. Various tools on the website or mobile app allow community users to share photos and stories that document impacts of flooding and changes to shorelines due to higher tides, storms, and erosion. MyCoast fetches background data on location, weather, and water levels to add scientific context to each report. The submitted MyCoast reports inform state agencies, local governments, and community organizations and gives your community a voice in future climate and coastal resilience planning efforts.

Amanda Archer is the Coastal Training Program Coordinator at the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, based in Tuckerton, NJ. Her work includes stakeholder outreach, education,  and training for coastal decision-makers to better facilitate the relationship between humans and coastal ecosystems. She graduated with an Environmental Science degree from Stockton University and has worked in the Barnegat Bay and Great Bay-Mullica River Estuary for over five years. 

Join Jane Zamost as she guides you through a season-inspired mixed media workshop to create your own peaceful sanctuary. Using materials found around one’s home or from nature, you will create by way of collage and/or paint one’s own peaceful sanctuary. The art you create will be entirely your vision of what your special place looks and feels like – it’s the place that is created to offer you a respite from the day where you will discover peace, calm and gratitude. What path will you take to design your own peaceful sanctuary? Where will you go? How will you feel once you arrive?

Join Jane as she helps guide you through this form of meditation to translate into your own visual project.

Artist Bio:

Jane Zamost is a painter and mixed media artist intrigued with the healing arts and its profound effect on the human spirit. She has gained community recognition for her involvement in the healing arts leading workshops and creating artworks that inspire optimism, calm and social justice. Formerly, Jane Zamost was the Healing Arts Program Coordinator at Capital Health, one of the founding partners of LUX Gallery  and in her earlier career, Senior Vice President at Projects In Knowledge, a medical  education/communications company.

Jane’s works have been exhibited in five solo and, more than seventy two-person and  group exhibits based in the United States and Canada. Her works can be viewed on the TV show Househunters, film “Hide,” Copelouzos Family Art Museum in Athens, Greece, the web site ArtSpan Contemporary Art, www.JaneZamost.com, and in private, corporate and hospital collections in the United States including nearby Capital Health (Pennington and Trenton hospitals) and Englewood Health in north Jersey.

Join the LBIF on February 17th, 2024, for a special screening of My Love Affair With Marriage and Q+A with director, Signe Baumane.

From the director of Rocks in my Pockets, comes a new award-winning animated feature about a spirited young woman determined to find love in the bewildering world. My Love Affair With Marriage follows Zelma on her 23-year quest for perfect love and lasting marriage set against a backdrop of historic events in Eastern Europe.

Told from a woman's point of view, the film blends historical, biological, societal, ad emotional arcs with a lively sense of humor and musical numbers. This animated film for adults tackles the issues of love, gender norms, domestic violence, fantasies and toxic relationships to propel a woman's journey toward independence and liberation.

DATE: February 17th, 2024

TIME: Doors open at 7:00 PM, Film begins at 7:30 PM

FEE: $15

Beginner Astronomy – What to See in the Night Sky

Getting started in Astronomy? Have a new telescope or binoculars and are not sure what to look for?

On February 10th via Zoom, join the LBIF and Astro Photographer and Astronomer James Webster as he discusses how to decipher what we see in the night sky.

James Webster, member of the Astronomical Society of the Toms River and member of the Dark Sky International since 2021, considers himself an amateur of the night sky due to the vast subject matter above. An expert to others, Webster is an advocate for anyone interested in diving deeper and can provide local resources for learning more about astronomy. He plays an active role in the Citizen Science Program that was founded by Science Saturday host, Darlene Cavalier where he recently became an Ambassador.

“Van Gogh’s Eyes”, in the hands of prolific and groundbreaking Director Jose Celestino Campusano of Argentina, is a moving film designed to be both ominous and beautiful. The film was shot on location in San Clemente, Argentina, featuring atmospheric scenes from Patagonia, the timeless beauty of the Atlantic Ocean, and period scenes in historic locations. Campusano’s characteristic nodtoward the unique in evident. In this groundbreaking work, one of the most famous and prolific artists lives on in the gaze of “Van Gogh’s Eyes”.

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of ReClam the Bay, please join LBIF and Lighthouse Film Society for a FREE and IN-PERSON screening of “Deep Rising.”

Narrated by Jason Momoa, "Deep Rising" illustrates the fate of the planet's last untouched wilderness; the deep ocean. The film leads the viewer into an investigative journey to a secretive organization that is threatening this delicate ecosystem by allowing massive extraction of seabed metals in an attempt to address the world's energy crisis. A panel discussion with Dr. Amy Williams from Alliance for A Living Ocean (ALO) and Chris Huch, a hazard mitigation planner formerly with Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve and Alliance for a Living Ocean (ALO), will follow the film.

Doors: 10:30AM

Film: 11:00AM

*Please note: Space is limited inside of LBIF Gallery, register below to reserve your seat.

The Challenges of Making a Living in the Crowded and Ever Changing Ocean

Imagine that every time you went to the grocery store they changed where they put the pretzels, cookies, and paper towels. What would happen if you got there and the deli counter was closed or didn’t even exist? Now picture a store where some of the aisles were mixed with traps with ropes and hooks and when they restocked the shelves a forklift came down the aisle making a deafening sound?

Join Dr. Josh Kohut on January 27th, via Zoom, as he discusses the experiences our sea creatures have while in the ocean. This presentation will provide insight into the challenges and realities of living in the dynamic and ever changing ocean.

Dr. Josh Kohut earned a B.S. in physics from the College of Charleston and a Ph.D. in physical oceanography from Rutgers University. Josh is currently a professor in the department of marine and coastal sciences at Rutgers University and a member of the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership. Using networks of ocean observing technologies, his research and extension programs focus on the ocean processes that structure marine ecosystems. He is involved in many research programs that range in scope from storm intensity, offshore wind, and local water quality monitoring off the NJ coast; regional fisheries along the US east coast; and environmental studies of polar ecosystems in the coastal waters surrounding Antarctica.

Responsible Stewardship of New Jersey's Valuable Marine Resources

On January 20th, join the LBIF and Doug Zemeckis via Zoom as he discusses Valuable Marine Resources.

New Jersey has over 140 miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, plus all of the coastal bays and rivers throughout the state, supporting very productive marine ecosystems. Our marine resources within these ecosystems are central to the fishing, aquaculture, and coastal tourism industries. The long-term sustainability of these resources, industries, and coastal communities hinges on the adoption of responsible stewardship practices among those who live, work, and recreate along the coast and throughout the whole state.

This presentation will cover the diversity and value of New Jersey's marine resources and industries with an emphasis on responsible stewardship practices and citizen science opportunities for people to adopt in Ocean County and throughout the state.

STACKABLE RINGS WORKSHOP
Please register 2 weeks in advance for each workshop. 

In this class, you will create a set of 5 rings in all: sterling silver bands will be 1-round, 1-hammered, 1-half-round, & 1-rope; and the 14 kt gold fill ring band (round or hammered, your choice). The skills covered in this class include proper ring sizing, hammering/texturing, soldering, cutting, polishing, and optional oxidizing. Beginners welcome!

Learn how to make this stunning open heart pendant. This beautiful pendant is dimensional, not flat. It looks great on a chain, or for a more casual look, on a piece of leather. We will be working with Swarovski crystals, pearls, and seed beads. This is an intermediate project. Kits will be available in various color ways.

$20 materials fee payable to instructor

Please note: Students must have right angle weave experience.