Japanese-born artist Kiyoshi Otsuka today stands beside a couple of his works on display at the “CT contemporary art fair” at Westport’s Bedford Square. Otsuka studied in Paris at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. Stimulated by the encouragement of Akiyama, a sculptor friend and mentor, Otsuka moved to New York and enrolled at the Art Student’s League. There, he studied with Knox Martin. Recently he has worked in his studio at ArtsWestchester landmark building in White Plains. His work has been exhibited in galleries in New York, London, Pennsylvania and Japan. Otsuka’s paintings are included in private collections in New York, Tokyo, and Paris. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

The Westport Arts Center today welcomed jUNe Day guests and staff member Mercedes Arensberg guided the guests through the current exhibition “Main Street to Madison Avenue.” It features paintings, illustrations, and photography commissioned by Madison Avenue advertising agencies for iconic commercial branding and advertising campaigns in the 1950s to 1970s, many of which originated in Westport. Also on exhibit are works from the well-known pop art and contemporary artists who appropriated this advertising imagery. The exhibition is on view through June 30. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Adriana Reis for WestportNow.com

The history of United States involvement in the Middle East, as well as its status today is the subject of a Westport Library talk by an Amherst College visiting professor set for Thursday, June 29, from 7 to 8 p.m. in the McManus Room, Library officials announced.

Steven Simon is scheduled to offer historical insights and firsthand experience having served on the National Security Council during the Clinton and Obama administrations and in a range of posts at the Department of State.

In addition to his national posts, Simon has been a visiting professor at Princeton University, a Hasib Sabbagh senior fellow in Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a university fellow in the history of religion at Brown University,

His first book, “The Age of Sacred Terror” co-authored with Daniel Benjamin, won the Arthur C. Ross award for best book on international affairs.

The Westport Library has announced its 25th Annual Summer Book Sale is set for Saturday, July 15 through Tuesday, July 18.

Steve Atkinson, a book collector from Springfield, Massachusetts, was an early shopper at the opening day of the Westport Library’s summer book sale last year. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

The sale falls on the same weekend that the Westport Downtown Merchants Association hosts its annual Fine Arts Festival.

Under tents on Jesup Green and in the Library’s McManus Room, the sale will feature more than 100,000 discounted books in more than 70 categories from art to zoology, with a particularly large selection of art and photography books, organizers said.

In addition to books there will be DVDs, CDs, vinyl and audio books. The sale also will offer a large selection of music, including songbooks from heavy metal to Broadway shows, plus pristine Metropolitan Opera librettos, most at low paperback prices.

Kenneth Gloss, proprietor of Boston’s Brattle Book Shop, one of America’s oldest and largest used bookshops, and guest appraiser on PBS’ “Antiques Roadshow,” delighted a packed Westport Library audience tonight with tales from the book trail. He showed replicas of some of his favorite finds and offered some snap appraisals of guests’ books. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

Submissions are being sought for “Young Shoots,” a digital photography competition for children 8 through 18, organizers announced today.

Sponsored by the Westport Arts Center (WAC) and the Westport Farmers Market, the competition is designed “to demonstrate their creativity through the digital photography medium, and to showcase the local color and vibrancy of the Westport Farmers’ Market,” said Leslie LaSala, WAC spokeswoman.

The submission deadline in Aug. 14, and winners will be announced Aug. 25. All photographs must be or have been taken at the Westport Farmers Market.

Among the jurors are: Lillie Fortino, WAC’s director of education for the Westport Arts Center; Stephanie Webster, editor-in-Chief of CTbites.com; and Eileen Sawyer, local photographer and Farmers Market board member.

By Susan Granger

If you thought it was weird seeing a young Carrie Fisher and resurrected Peter Cushing in “Star Wars: Rogue One,” wait ‘till you hear Paul Newman’s gruff voice as Doc Hudson in outtakes from the first “Cars” outing in 2006.

“Cars 3” begins as the current champion, Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), is trounced by a new, sleek, black-with-purple headlights “tech” car, Jackson Storm (voiced by Armie Hammer), who gloats, “I can’t believe I get to race Lightning McQueen in his farewell season.”

Realizing “the racing world is changing,” following a fiery crash, discouraged Lightning discovers that his Rust-eze sponsorship is now owned by smarmy Sterling (voiced by Nathan Fillion), who wants him to become a racing brand.

Eager to race in the Florida 500, Lightning reports for training at the high-octane site where Jackson Storm toned up. That’s where he meets Cruz Ramirex (voiced by Cristela Alonzo), a peppy performance coach who refocuses his angry outbursts with “Use that!” endeavoring to increase his speed from 198 mph to 210 mph.

Westport’s Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts has announced highlights of its 44th summer season.

It will open Sunday, June 25 with a celebration of the music and spirit of the Woodstock Music Festival, “Back to the Garden 1969.”

On Thursday, Aug. 24, the annual summer gala will feature musician and singer-songwriter, John Fogerty.

As previously announced, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Mason returns to the Levitt for the fourth time on Friday, July 14 as part of his new “Alone Together Again” limited engagement U.S. tour.

Scenes from today’s grand reopening of the Westport Library’s MakerSpace. WestportNow.com photos