By James Lomuscio
The spirit of Westport’s arts community was alive and well inside the former Max’s Art Supplies store today, even though the Post Road East business closed Sunday after a 59-year run.
Amy Kaplan, who organized tonight’s Pop-Up Art Show at the recently closed Max’s Art Supplies, stands in front of her oil painting, “Sound, Sun and Ice.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com
Several local artists hung paintings and arranged sculptures, all of them created by 35 artists, many from Westport, as part of a juried art show designed to celebrate the town’s arts history—and the important role Max’s located at 68 Post Road had played in it.
“It’s just a celebration,” said Wendy Pieper about tonight’s Pop-Up Art Show that runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and is free.
Pieper, who grew up in town during its heyday as a nexus of artists and illustrators, nearly all who found their way to Max’s, noted that the exhibition that has transformed the store into an art gallery “is one night only, and then we’ll take it down.”
“It’s one night only because things don’t last,” said local artist Eric Chiung, a 21-year resident whose painting “Floral Serenade” is featured in the show.
Pieper also has paintings on display. One is titled “Adrift,” a portrait of a bearded man holding an oar, alone and at sea.
The show was the brainchild of Amy Kaplan, a local artist who is no relation to the store’s namesake, Max Kaplan, whose wife Shirley Mellor operated the business until its closing. (To make matters confusing, Max has a daughter named Amy, and the art show’s Amy has a son named Max.)
“Max’s has been a pillar in the local art community,” said Kaplan. “I can’t think of a more fitting send off for Max’s than this show.”
Wendy Pieper, who grew up in Westport, gets ready to put up her painting “Adrift.” (CLICK TO ENLARGE) James Lomuscio for WestportNow.com
She noted that any sales at the event will generate a 10 percent commission for Max’s, “in recognition of their generous support for local artists over the years.”
Today, Kaplan watched as Chiung hung her huge oil, “Sound, Sun and Ice” in a framed part of a wall that once housed store merchandise.
Also helping out was Mary Ann Neilson, a 20-year resident and local artist, who was arranging different colored blocks designed by artist Elise Black.
“These are individual pieces of art, and you mix and match them, which is fun,” said Neilson.
As she prepared for tonight’s show, which she said would be more like a party, Pieper mused over the fact that a shop like Max’s may again reopen somewhere in town.
“The time and the space might change, but the need is now,” she said.
