Focus on gentle movement, stretching, and mindfulness to relieve tension and stress while calming the nervous system. This class will be done entirely seated in a chair and is well suited for individuals with limited mobility.
Use library equipment for learning about digital and analog music creation! Whether you come for Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) or ukuleles, you're welcome here! Play, demo equipment, and ask questions to our knowledgeable staff. Get answers about creating music at the library!
Do you know how to remove apps? What to do if your phone memory is full? How to improve battery life? Learn these skills and more for your Apple, Android, or Microsoft devices in a focused, 1:1 session with volunteers from SeniorTechPals, and bring your phone or tablet.
Registration strongly encouraged, but drop-ins can wait to receive help.
Join local artist Elizabeth Higgins for weekly workshops focused on creative expression, mindfulness, and supportive community connection. Designed as a sanctuary from daily stressors, these sessions emphasize the joyful process of making art rather than the pressure of a finished product. Perfect for all skill levels, from absolute beginners to experienced creators looking to refresh their practice. All premium studio materials are included in the tuition fee.
Class Times: 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. on Mondays
Tuition per Session: Resident $79 / Non-Resident $119 (Materials included)
Slow down and see the world around you with fresh eyes. This four-week session uses the quiet patterns of the natural world to anchor your attention in the present moment. Through gentle, guided, and meditative sketching exercises, you will learn to quiet a busy mind and relieve daily stress. Elizabeth will introduce accessible mark-making techniques that make sketching feel approachable, helping you overcome the fear of the blank page and establish a sustainable, deeply personal daily sketchbook practice.
Topics Covered:
Dates: Mondays, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, & 10/26
Event Code: 34836
Experience the liberating and playful art of paper collage. By cutting, tearing, and arranging everyday found papers, hand-painted fragments, and text, you will bypass the technical anxieties of drawing and jump straight into raw visual storytelling. This course balances mindful, intuitive play with fundamental design concepts. While enjoying a relaxed studio environment, you will discover how to arrange bold abstract artwork that expresses your inner landscape.
Topics Covered:
Dates: Mondays, 11/2, 11/9, 11/16, & 11/23
Event Code: 34837
About the Instructor:
Elizabeth M. Higgins is a Portland‑area teaching artist whose work centers on creativity, nature, and mindfulness. She holds a 100‑hour certification in eco-therapy and brings a gentle, encouraging approach to her watercolor and nature-journaling classes, inspiring students of all ages to explore art joyfully. Her vibrant work is shown at her Hillsboro studio and Grey Raven Gallery in Beaverton.
Website: Elizabeth M. Higgins — https://elizabethmhiggins.com/
Past Classes ArchiveThe following previous topics from this season are now complete. Please contact the registration program desk if you would like to be notified when these seasonal topics return to the calendar.
Seasonal Watercolor Journaling & Nature Drawing (Spring 2026)Held weekly across April and May 2026, this foundational workshop invited beginners and nature lovers to connect deeply with seasonal shifts. Utilizing the principles of eco-therapy, students ventured into outdoor environments to observe regional flora and fauna firsthand. Under Elizabeth's gentle guidance, participants learned to blend delicate watercolor washes with organic line work to document the textures, shifting light, and quiet rhythms of the Pacific Northwest springtime landscape.