Ruth-Anne Perliss of Westport shows off a 1928 picture of her mother, Molly Abrams, at Coney Island at tonight’s Westport Arts Center special ArtsSpeaks event. It featured Robin Jaffee Frank of Westport who curated the current exhibition at Harttford’a Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861-2008.” The exhibit complements the current Westport Arts Center exhibit “Coney Island: Side Show.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE)  Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com

Robin Jaffee Frank of Westport celebrates tonight with Westport artist Leonard Everett Fisher at a special Westport Arts Center ArtsSpeaks event. She talked about the exhibit she curated at Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861-2008.” Jaffee Frank is chief curator and Krieble Curator of American Paintings and Sculpture at the Wadsworth. Everett Fisher is one of the artists featured in the Hartford exhibit. (See WestportNow Feb. 11, 2015) The exhibit complements the current Westport Arts Center exhibit “Coney Island: Side Show.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Helen Klisser during for WestportNow.com

The cast of tonight’s Westport Country Playhouse script-in-hand play reading of the “Flyin’ West” takes a bow before a large crowd.  The play, created by playwright Pearl Cleage and directed by Anne Keefe, the curator of the popular play reading series, is the story of a small group of African-American women whose lives changed when the West was opened up for people willing to settle in a harsh and untested region following the Civil War. Pictured (l-r) are Leon Addison Brown, Nikke E. Walker, Linda Powell, Lynda Gravatt, Britney Coleman and Rey Lucas Chad Kinsman (r) narrated stage directions. Powell’s father is former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Acclaimed Latvian violinist David Podles and his piano accompanist and wife Irina Kupchik played to a crowd today in the Westport Library’’s McManus Room. Podles is laureate of three prestigious international competitions. Both musicians received Ph.D.s from the Latvian National Conservatory of Music in Riga, Latvia. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

The Westport Arts Center’s Family Art Day: All About Toys today attracted a large crowd with guests building marble mazes, matchstick creatures and dolls, and a unique puzzle piece door sign. The event was sponsored by Melissa & Doug Toy Company. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Marina White for WestportNow.com

Part of today’s Westport Arts Center’s Family Art Day: All About Toys was a Toy Makers Competition with youngsters pitching their ideas to a panel of judges comprised of (back row, l-r) Stacy Bass, Westport photographer, Melissa Bernstein, co-founder of Melissa & Doug Toy Company, and Dave Yearwood, Connecticut manager of Shake Shack. The judges posed with the winners with three prizes for each age category (ages 5-6, 7-9, and 10-12) as well as fan favorites. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Marina White for WestportNow.com

The Westport Historical Society (WHS) today presented a special plaque to the owners of a house at 244 Compo Road South, often referred to as the “Fitzgerald House” because F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald stayed there in 1920. The plaque was presented by Robert Weingarten (r), WHS Historic House Plaque coordinator, to homeowners Andrew J. and Jeannine C. Flower. Looking on (l) is Edward F. Gerber, WHS president. The house will be on a special March 14 WHS tour. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com

This is the busiest art weekend in New York with the highlight The Armory Show, now in its 17th year, which has become America’s leading fine art fair. A total of 199 galleries are showcasing their wares at the iconic Pier 92 and 94 along the Hudson River. The show opened Thursday and runs through Sunday, noon to 7 p.m. Click here for more information. Helen Klisser During, artistic director at the Westport Arts Center and WestportNow contributing photographer, highlights some of the artworks on display. Helen Klisser During for WestportNow.com