The Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s infused modern design with elegance and sophistication in an exuberant display of stylized geometric and floral elements that were drawn from sources as varied as the discovery of King Tut’s tomb to sleek modern industrial design. Influential factors and chic forms of the Art Deco style will be studied in architectural design, interior decor, furniture, and decorative objects.

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures worldwide on art and architectural history, and leads art and architecture tours throughout the world. She has been named a Distinguished Instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has completed graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a Design Review Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses and lectures (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older.