By James Lomuscio
Acting as the Traffic Authority, Westport’s Board of Selectmen today unanimously approved the closing of Church Lane Saturday, giving a green light to the scheduled “Paint the Town” event.
Matthew Mandell (l), of the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce, and Helen Klisser During (2nd l), of the Westport Arts Center, tell Board of Selectmen members today about Saturday’s “Paint the Town” effort. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Professional artists and townspeople are set to paint selfies and local scenes on the blue-washed construction fence enveloping the north side of Church Lane and serving as a barrier to the Bedford Square project under construction.
Saturday’s scheduled event, with a rain date of June 27, was orchestrated by the Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce (WWCC), the Westport Arts Center (WAC), the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, and Westporter David Waldman, principal of Bedford Square Associates.
“This is another example of what makes Westport special,” said Second Selectman Avi Kaner. “Only in Westport would a construction site turn into art.”
Matthew Mandell, WWCC president and executive director, and Helen Klisser During, WAC artistic director, appeared before the selectman, saying Church Lane would be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the event that would run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Klisser During said that artists from WAC’s collective would be on hand and that there would be plenty of supervision for participants, who would pay a $10 to cover the costs of materials.
She said that the wall, which already had the town’s Minute Man statue painted on it, will feature paintings of town icons, such as the Compo Beach cannons and Town Hall, every 100 feet.
“This will be a giant town selfie, and I think people can engage with it and have fun,” Klisser During said about the painted fence, which will remain in place two years.
She also said that the town’s three selectmen are invited to arrive early to have their selfies painted.
“How do we prevent vandalism, say if someone paints a mustache on Jim?” asked Kaner, referring to First Selectman Jim Marpe.
His comment drew a roar of laughter, and Klisser During said professional artists will be available to touch up the block length mural.
In other matters artistic, the Board of Selectmen also approved acceptance of a gift of aluminum statues of a 12-foot man and 10-foot woman from the estate of the late Susan Rabinowitz Malloy, who died in April.
Ann Sheffer, Malloy’s niece, made the request, noting that the statues were bequeathed to the town as a gift in Malloy’s will and will be on loan to Earthplace, The Nature Discovery Center.
Malloy served on the board of Earthplace and and also made bequests to the organization in her will, Sheffer said.
She also said Malloy’s estate would pay for moving and reinstallation with no cost to the town.
She said one of the reasons Earthplace was chosen was that the artwork is made of aluminum and cannot be placed near water.
The selectmen also unanimously approved a request by the Westport Downtown Merchants Association for the use of Parker Harding Plaza July 18 and 19 for the 43rd annual Fine Arts Festival, expected to draw about 5,000 persons.
Approval was also given to a new employment agreement with Mike Aitkenhead, steward of the Wakeman Town Farm.
