Upcoming Programs
The Creative Arts Society is an Austin based, non-profit 501(c)(3) arts organization actively promoting the development of the “Artist in Everyone.” Established in 1999, the vision of this group is to inspire cultural enrichment, community participation, and respect for diversity. Three professional artist members are featured in this exhibit.
LA Hollins
LA Hollins creates visual art that is spontaneous, lushly textured, and instinctive. She explores life’s daily challenges, memories, and dreams through modern abstract expression. Her work often features the recurring themes of joy, hope, loss, humanity, wildlife, nature, and technology. She enjoys sharing art with others and working with families, the elderly, and populations with special needs. You can find her at https://bluestonesart.com/
Beverly Dennis
Beverly uses art to reflect and understand. Color and form are the armatures that hold her images. Blue in the deepest purple, or red in the greenest leaf. Organic curve and geometric form suggest structure. There is an exploration of surface and under-painting. Always there is a reflection on place and impression. She received her MFA from the University of Mississippi. Her art expresses her impressions. You can find her at http://beverlydennis.net/
Makenna Hatter
Makenna is a lifelong Austinite and artist. She passionately utilizes organizational line technique to depict interesting perspectives in her work. She leaves “cluster lines” in her drawings because they are evidence of her process. In addition to watercolors, Makenna works with multiple mediums including resin, oil paint, and ink. She is currently enrolled at Austin Community College with the intention of earning a BFA. You can find her at www.makennahatterdesign.com
Are you an artist interested in exhibiting your work at the library? Visit our Art at Laura’s page to find out more, see past shows, and submit your samples.
Our Knitters meet for fun and fiber every week. Flash your best needles, break out the good yarn, and come teach, be taught, or simply enjoy the glorious art of knitting! Join the group every Friday at noon at the Westbank Library.
Crocheters and embroiderers welcome.
Sheng Zhen Healing Qi Gong is a unique seated form of exercise developed by Master Li Junfeng. This gentle form of Qi Gong is ideal for loosening stiff joints, restoring focus and mental clarity, producing deep relaxation, and promoting overall health. The movements are easy to perform for all fitness levels, and are ideal for anyone with lower extremity difficulties, such as knee or hip pain. The meditative element of Sheng Zhen Healing Qi Gong also helps calm the mind, reduce stress, and balance emotions.
Thomas Najar is a licensed acupuncturist and certified Qi Gong instructor. He left a career in hi-tech to pursue a healing career and has been teaching Qi Gong and practicing acupuncture since 2016. A native of Wisconsin, he’s lived in Austin for the past 20 years and is passionate about healthy living through fitness, nutrition and meditation.
The Discovery program offers hands-on exploring for young learners in many different topics, including science, art, music, and more. Come each week and discover something new!
All ages welcome.
April:
- 6th: Building – Marble Run
- 13th: Fun & Games
- 20th: Art: Outdoor Paint Party & Sun Prints
- 27th: Music & Movement – Karaoke
May:
New Book Club
New Book ClubLed by volunteer Camille Hoff, this book club reads and discusses books focusing on women’s perspective of the world. Their reading list includes literary fiction, non-fiction, and some classic titles. Join the group on the fourth Saturday of the month at 3 p.m. at Laura’s Library.
2019 Selections:
- March – A Wilderness Station: Selected Stories, 1968 – 1994 by Alice Munro
- April – Circe by Madeline Miller
- May – Women who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
- June – The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
- July – Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- August – A Life’s Work: On Becoming a Mother by Rachel Cusk
- September – Alias Grace: A Novel by Margaret Atwood
- Xiaoqing Zhu, a PhD from Stanford and currently a tech lead in a Fortune 500 company, whose favorite side job is to teach and learn from her kindergartner.
- Wendy You, a college finance professor, who finds it more challenging to teach her five-year-old than to teach a college class.
- Celine Wright, an MBA and finance executive who worked for many large companies and had managed many difficult mergers and acquisitions projects, realized that her three young kids are the most difficult, but fun, projects of all.
- Lan Luan, a research professor of biomedical engineering at UT, who finds it extremely fun to guide and observe young children including her own 4-year-old son to grow physically and intellectually.
The Westbank Library has supporting materials for this program. Ask a staff member if you are interested.
The Westbank Community Library District offers a Sensory Storytime at the Laura Bush Library, Sundays at 11:00 a.m. These storytimes are for children ages 3 – 8 who are on the autism spectrum or are prone to sensory overload. A parent or caregiver is required to attend with their child. Participants will enjoy stories, songs, and a variety of sensory activities. Because this is a specialized storytime, participation is limited.
Interested in joining us? If you’re new to the group, please fill out and submit the registration form.
Get help with all of your technology from a tech-savvy teen. Bring cameras, laptops, questions about social media, apps, or anything else that comes to mind! Our tech-savvy teens will provide one-on-one help with all your technology questions.
@ Westbank Library on Sundays from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
@ Laura’s and Westbank Library every Tuesday of the month from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Are you a teen interested in volunteering? Check out the volunteer page for more information.
The Commons at Laura’s will be closed from 2:00 until 5:00 p.m.
If you’d like to inquire about using a meeting room, please see our Meeting Room Policies.
Qi Gong (pronounced chee gung) is an ancient Chinese health care practice that integrates physical postures and gentle movements, breathing and focused mind. “Qi” means vital energy or life force, and “gong” means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qi Gong means cultivating energy and is practiced for health maintenance, healing, and increasing vitality.
In this one hour class, we will learn the different qi gong movements that help reduce stress, increase vitality, and build stamina.
Sandra Medina Bocangel is a physician from Mexico with a specialty in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and a Master in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. Her offices are in Austin and San Antonio. She has been practicing meditation for 15 years, and is a Zen Buddhism student in Austin.
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