Art washes from the soul, the dust of everyday life: Treat yourself to an art class

Spring is here and the time is right for having fun with art. As we fill our schedules with outdoor chores and end-of-school events let’s be sure to make time to explore art in our area. I hope last month you visited some of the art shows I suggested. This month I wanted to draw attention to some of the many upcoming classes, workshops, and demonstrations available in our community to enjoy

Perhaps you want to get in touch with your inner child and play with clay. Rebecca Gerendasy Clay Art Studio is offering a two-day workshop to learn how to make a ceramic bird 5/6-5/7, 10am-1pm both days. Register at rebeccagerendasy.com. The Village Gallery offers Sunday clay studio with Rose Rutherford-Ha. The classes are drop in from 1-3pm and you can learn more about them at villagegalleryarts.org.

Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation is offering an “Art Without Limits” event 5/10, 10am-1pm, at the Garden Home Recreation Center. It is free to the public and will have hands-on art activities to try.

If weaving is your thing, take your mom and head over to the Village Gallery for their Mother’s Day Tea and Basket Making class on 5/10. You can register and learn more on the gallery website mentioned earlier.

If being outdoors with the kids making art sounds fun, head over to Dirksen Nature Park on 5/14 for an Art in the Park class taught by the One River School of Art for children ages 4-11. Registration is required. Go to the City of Tigard website to sign up.

Trade in folding laundry for origami on 5/19 at the Tualatin Public Library, 12-3pm. The Portland Oregon Paper Shapers offer a free class every third Saturday of the month. Bring your own paper or use the materials provided. All are welcome but children 12 and under will need an adult to accompany them.

The Reser is providing a series of free art talks with demonstrations throughout May. These events will take place on 5/2, 5/7, and 5/17. The talks will cover everything from embroidering on paper, ink brush on paper, paper making, installation art, as well as growing, harvesting, and making art with Japanese indigo. All these demonstrations support the current show, “Infinite Possibilities,” open through 5/24. The 5/7 and 5/17 events require a reservation. For more information go to thereser.org.

This is only a small sample of classes and workshops offered this month. The Tualatin Valley Creates website, Tualatin Hills Recreation website, as well as art education locations such as Multnomah Arts Center, Village Gallery, Valley Art Gallery, and The Grey Raven Gallery have many classes for adults and/or kids to get started with an art practice or refine art skills. As a reminder, it’s the time of year to register your children for summer art camps. They can fill up quickly so check out the options soon.

As always, please support the arts and artists and your community. They need you and we need them!

Amy Mower is a local artist and lifelong Beaverton resident. She is passionate about the future of the arts in our community.