The Art Alliance of the Riverside Art Museum presents “Look Who’s Talking,” a series of four fascinating speakers on four diverse topics, April 8, 15, 29, and May 6 at the Riverside Art Museum. Lectures range from topics such as competitive cooking to heroines of the French Resistance in World War II. The public can purchase the series of four lectures for $100 or an individual lecture for $30. All events begin at 6:00 PM at the Riverside Art Museum (3425 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside). Refreshments are provided at no additional cost.

The series kicks off on Monday, April 8 with a look at the world of competitive cooking by Laureen Pittman, a chef who has participated in over 40 competitions, won over $40,000 in prizes and has published recipes in numerous magazines and cookbooks. Laureen’s lecture, entitled “Everything I Need to Know I Learned From Cooking (Competitions)” will inspire both amateur and professional cooks, and give us a glimpse into the fast-paced world of competitive cooking.

On Monday, April 15 we are honored to have acclaimed National Geographic photographer and documentarian Karin Muller visit us. Her discussion will be about “Perilous Journeys” that she has taken in her extensive world-wide travels, from Peru to Kenya, Japan to Cuba. She has been featured on National Public Radio and has many important documentaries to her name. In addition, she has founded Take 2: The Students Point of View, a program to help students create their own documentaries and develop global citizenship. Approximately 40 schools (including RUSD) have joined the project thus far.

On Monday, April 29 we will be treated to the wit and wisdom of Monica Holloway, whose lecture entitled “Strong in Broken Places” will make us feel encouraged by her life story. Ms. Holloway’s experiences with her lovable, brilliant autistic son, Wills, and the life lessons she has learned from these adventures, will help everyone who discovers bumps along life’s road. She is a bestselling author whose memoir Driving with Dead People uses humor to connect us with the issues she cares deeply about.

On Monday, May 6, we will get a rare glimpse into France during World War II and explore the world of hidden children and French heroines who were instrumental in the French resistance against Nazi occupation. “Hidden Child and Clandestine Activities of French Women during WW” by Monique Saigal, Professor Emeritus of Romance Languages and Literature from Pomona College, will speak to us about these extraordinary people whose stories have been largely overlooked through the years. Professor Saigal has interviewed dozens of women to put together her tales of courage. She herself was a “hidden child” whose life depended on the kindness of a Catholic family during the war. It is against this backdrop that she will share a fascinating look back to a painful yet inspirational page of history.

The lecture series is a fundraiser for the Riverside Art Museum. For more information about the lecture series, or to purchase tickets, please contact the Art Alliance of the Riverside Art Museum at pcrabtree2@ gmail.com .