Community Calendar

In the month of September the members of River Ridge Association of Fine Art (RRAFA) explore the theme of Water. To an artist water is fascinating and can be difficult to paint. The artists in the show have used many ideas, different medium and sizes, traditional styles to abstract, up close or far away for viewers to contemplate. Whatever emotion the art evokes, wistful, happy, contemplative and more, this is a show you will enjoy!

And don't forget to come by the Historic Liberty Building on First Friday Sept 4 from 5-8 pm to meet the artists in person!

Barbara Anderson & Patty Driscoll both work in soft pastels and often choose similar subject matter for their pieces. Friends for close to thirty years, creative souls and art lovers, they decided to embark on a creative journey after raising their families. Their very first pastel class was at a local art school, and they were the only adults in the class. But they were hooked! They traveled and learned together with many professional artists which put them on the right track. In 2024, they were thrilled to have been offered a sixth month residency at the Hive, where sharing a studio allowed the experimentation, collaboration and creation of this body of work.

Stop by Pottery Place Plus in the Historic Liberty Building this Sept to see their work ~ come by on First Friday Sept 4th from 5-8pm to meet them in person!

Acrylic paint is the most flexible of all painting media. You can work from light to dark or dark to light, paint rich textures or flat sheets of color, and easily correct any mistake. In this medium, there is no point of no return. We work in layers, mostly dark to light, with an emphasis on smooth and textured gradations of hue, value, and temperature. 

Six Tuesdays, September 1-October 6 

12:00-2:00 p.m.

$168

(This is an adult class)

Embark on a journey of creative self-expression! Whether on your own or with guidance, ease into simple exercises that explore basic artistic concepts. You could also respond to an optional mindfulness prompt. Our program provides a relaxed and inspiring environment for self-discovery, with all materials provided.

Oil is the medium of the old masters. As long ago as the 15th century, artists began exploring its vast possibilities. We cover the “fat over lean” and all prima approaches, along with easy ways to correct errors. The class is for all levels of experience, from beginners to professionals.

Six Tuesdays, September 1-October 6

3:00-5:00 p.m.

$168

(This is an adult class)

Participants will be taught how to bind a blank book using the long stitch method. This is a historical book structure used by merchants, accountants, and other record keepers because pages could be easily added in the future. Students will be taught rudimentary bookbinding vocabulary such as "signature" and "foredge" and the importance of understanding paper grain. They will be shown how to find paper grain direction, measure and cut their leather to size, how to make a template for sewing the signatures to the leather, and how to sew the signatures to the leather. Participants will come away from the class with a completed binding and the knowledge of how to customize this structure for future projects. Supplies are included, but bring a length of leather cording, if you have one.

Tuesday, September 1

5:30-8:30 p.m.

$52

All are Welcome! Come the First and Third Tuesdays at 6pm. We are focusing on Sri Easwaran's form of passage meditation and his 8-Point Program for daily living, currently meeting at the Spokane Buddhist Temple. This form of meditation fits with any spiritual path. Passage meditation was designed specifically for the Western “monkey mind.” It is a very disciplined approach to slowing down and focusing. It is difficult, but very rewarding! We are currently studying Sri Easwaran’s book "Passage Meditation". Questions, call Lou Ann at (509) 590-3512

As the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation rise, and we continue to witness as communities of color, Indigenous communities, low income communities and children are placed on the frontlines of environmental pollution and harm, we can no longer rely on federal and state legislation that are designed to accommodate environmental pollution and degradation rather than prevent it. There is a solution: bypass the laws and turn to the ultimate authority—our state and federal constitutions. Green Amendments (now in 3 states with 18 more on the way) provide constitutional recognition of environmental rights as inalienable and give the highest level of legal protection. Learn what a Green Amendment is, what it does, and how it brings transformational change to our US system of laws and governance when it comes to the environment. Learn how you can be a leader in securing meaningful constitutional environmental rights for your community.

Maya K. Van Rossum is the Founder of Green Amendments For the Generations, a grassroots non-profit inspiring the national movement to secure constitutional recognition and protection of environmental rights in every state and ultimately at the federal level. Maya, a licensed attorney, is the author of numerous publications, including her book The Green Amendment, The People’s Fight For a Clean, Safe & Healthy Environment, now in its second edition, in which she coined and defined the term “Green Amendment”. Maya is also the Delaware Riverkeeper, leading the 4 state, watershed-based advocacy organization, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, for 30 years. She co-hosts Green Genes, an environmental podcast with her daughter. Since launching her Green Amendment movement, New York passed an amendment in 2021, proposals are advancing in 19 additional states, with half a dozen more on the way, and there is increasing use (including with Maya’s assistance) of the Green Amendments that now exist in Pennsylvania, New York and Montana.

We will be discussing “The Birds That Audubon Missed" by Kenn Kaufman at the September meeting.

This book club typically meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month. We meet at Auntie’s Bookstore and it is led by Teri. Please send any inquiries to teri@auntiesbooks.com.

Join monastics from Sravasti Abbey to learn practical steps toward peace of mind through growing kindness. Discussions are based on the book "An Open-Hearted Life", co-written by Sravasti Abbey founder and Abbess Thubten Chodron and Eastern Washington University Professor and Clinical Psychologist Russell Kolts. No registration necessary. All are welcomed.