Arts and Leisure
Friday, May 24, 2013
Historical Society Salutes Tracy Sugarman
Also opening tonight at the Westport Historical Society’s Mollie Dononvan Gallery was “Tracy Sugarman, Citizen-Artist” about the life of the Westport illustrator, writer and civil rights activist who died in January at age 91. On hand for the reception were Gloria Sugarman (l), his wife, and Dianne Wildman, who curated the exhibit. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com
Tracy Sugarman On Display
Guests tonight visit the Westport Historical Society’s “Tracy Sugarman, Citizen-Artist” exhibit which opened in the Mollie Donovan Gallery. An inteview with Sugarman plays on a vido screen amid drawings and pictures illustrating his career. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Booked for the Evening Celebrates Meacham
By James Lomuscio
Jon Meacham at the Westport Public Library tonight displaying Southern charm and self-deprecating humor. CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
With wit, Southern charm, self-deprecating humor, grace and an overwhelming optimism about America’s future based on its past, journalist, historian and Pulitizer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham tonight accepted the Westport Library Award at its 15th annual Booked for the Evening fundraising gala.
The event drew about 400, including many local officials, to the library’s Great Hall.
Library Director Maxine Bleiweis presented the award, describing Meacham, a Tennessean, as “journalist, editor, writer, pundit, public intellectual and Southern gentleman.”
“It is equally impressive that this list of accomplishments accrues to a person who only two days ago had his 44th birthday,” Bleiweis noted.
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Foreigner Headlines Levitt Summer Gala
The Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts said today its summer gala on June 22 will feature Foreigner, one of the world’s best-selling rock bands.
The Foreigner concert will be held at the Staples HIgh School field house. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
The Levitt, which this summer will make temporary use of Jesup Green while its new home is under construction, said the gala will be held at the Staples High School field house. It will help underwrite 50 free nights of music and performing arts.
With 10 multi-platinum albums and 16 Top 30 hits, Foreigner has dominated the pop charts since it was originally formed in 1976.
It has worldwide sales of almost 80 million albums, including 37.5 million albums in the United States alone. Foreigner hits include “I Want to Know What Love is,” “Double Vision,” “Hot Blooded,” “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Head Games,” “Juke Box Hero” and many more.
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Saturday, May 18, 2013
Honored at Ball
Nancy Gault of Westport, president of the board of the Westport Arts Center, presents William Felton of Weston, first vice president, with an award at tonight’s Art Noir Ball 2013 at the Steel Shed in Norwalk. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Party Time
The Steel Shed in South Norwalk was transformed into a party place for tonight’s Westport Arts Center’s Art Noir Ball 2013. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Saturday Night Art Fever
Scenes from tonight’s Westport Arts Center Art Noir Ball 2013 at the Steel Shed, South Norwalk. Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Artsy Welcome to Art Noir Ball
Guests at tonight’s Westport Arts Center Art Noir Ball 2013 at the Steel Shed in South Norwalk were greeted by these high stepping ladies. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Friday, May 17, 2013
Preparing New Historical Society Exhibit
Volunteers Anne Levine and Brian O’Leary prepare for the new Westport Historical Society exhibit, “Five Generations of Yankee Ingenuity - the Gault Family,” which opens May 24 in the Betty & Ralph Sheffer Gallery with a reception open to the public from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A complimentary exhibit, “Tracy Sugarman, Citizen-Artist,” curated by Dianne Wildman, opens simultaneously in the WHS Mollie Donovan Gallery. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Getting Ready for Arts Center Gala
Helping transform the Steel Shed in South Norwalk today for the Saturday night Westport Arts Center Art Noir Ball 2013 were gala chair Silvia Durno (l) and Deirdre Price of the Center’s board. Tickets are still available. Click here for more information. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Insider Arts: A Rewarding ‘Dining Room’
By Ina B. Chadwick
“The Dining Room,” by A.R. Gurney is currently having a hugely successful run at the Westport Country Playhouse. So much so they had to add another performance for Sunday, May 19 in order to accommodate the ticket requests. The show, which opened on April 30, was to close on May 18.
Why such popularity after so many previous halting season starts at WCP? Indeed I had to ask myself that question when so many other more interesting plays have been under-attended. What made audiences go, and what enamored the critics enough to talk glowingly?
“It was profound and poignant,” Westport’s Susan Granger, the revered movie critic said. I agreed it was a “go see,” but “profound?”
Not for me.
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Creating Art Together
Artist Eduardo Agelvis (r) of Venezuela, whose work is on display at the Westport Arts Center’s “SOLOS 2013” exhibit, shared his creativity today with youngsters at the Center. They worked on a painting he is donating for auction at the Center’s Art Noir Ball 2013 on Saturday at the Steel Shed in South Norwalk. With him are Westporters Paige Vernik, 8, Sarah Kelly, education fellow, Zac Mathis, 10, Danielle Ogden, the Center’s director of education, and Heather Vernik, mother of Paige. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Memorial Day Grand Marshal is Leonard Everett Fisher
Leonard Everett Fisher: noted artist learning drawing from his dad. Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com
The grand marshal of this year’s Westport Memorial Day parade on May 27 is Leonard Everett Fisher, a renowned artist and World War II veteran whose mapping abilities helped plan major military campaigns of the war.
The announcement was made today by William Vornkahl, president of the Westport Veterans Council.
Fisher, 88, had been an art major at Brooklyn College when he enlisted in the Army on Dec. 1, 1942. He learned how to use instruments for mechanical drawing at a young age from his father, a ship designer whose work included the noted naval vessel, USS Arizona.
He spent the war years with the highly classified operations section of the Army’s 30th Engineer Battalion (Topographic) assigned to the staff of Gen. George C. Marshall and later with Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Ocean Area.
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Monday, May 13, 2013
Westport-Based TV Travel Series Gets 2 Emmy Nominations
A Westport-based weekly television travel series, “Born to Explore with Richard Wiese,” has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards -– for Outstanding Travel Program and Outstanding Achievement in Single-Camera Photography. The weekly half hour series, which airs Saturday mornings on most ABC stations and is in its second season, is produced by Explorer Films in a cozy production space on Main Street above Bobby Q’s. Host Wiese (l), a Weston resident, was busy recording voice-overs there today. The Daytime Emmy Awards winners will be announced on June 14 in Los Angeles. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
Tops at Hall-Brooke Art Show
Artists Janine Brown (l) and Nina Bentley show off their runner-up certificates in the Friends of Hall-Brooke 11th annual Mother Day’s Art Sale held Saturday and Sunday. Top prize went to the late artist and writer Tracy Sugarman. The show was curated by Westport artist Miggs Burroughs and judged by Helen Klisser During, director of visual arts at the Westport Arts Center. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
Note: WestportNow Publisher Gordon F. Joseloff is also First Selectman of Westport