Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Quick Article Index . . .
Westport artisans shine in 2011 Open Studio Tour.
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EverythingWestport.com Monday, July 11, 2011
Town Counsel recomended a
"menu-like structure" for indivdual line-item purchases for the two
debt exclusion articles ($900,00 for the Highway Department and $500,000 for
the School Deopartment), but that approach was rejected by selectmen as too
cumbersome for the town's voters. More discussion to continue this week to
finalyze the ballot questions. Town meeting last April
passed a $1.4 million debt exclusion override article, but Selectmen later
approved spiltting the article into two ballot questions. The town's chief procurement
officer, Michael Coughlin, wants the embattled Highway Department's
purchasing power handcuffed, and the select board resisted. A heated exchange
between Coughlin and Selectman Antone Vieira arguing the merits of
procurement produced little agreement. Vieira pointed out the
merits of the recently approved town's purchase order system, used by all
private businesses and most commonwrealth communities, as a way to control
Highway Department purchases, and Coughlin countered that previous controls
did little in stopping the department from making illegal purchases. Annual town committee appointments. The meeting was mostly
dedicated to the Fiscal 2012 annual committee appointments, but there were
more than just a few surprises. In a stunning reversal of
past appointments, the select board on votes of 3-2 reorganized the Energy
Committee and Community Preservation Committee, ousting long-term members and
increasing committee membership. A complete list will be
posted on EverythingWestport in the next few days. Westport legislators feted by VFW. Earlier this year,
80-year-old Leo St. Onge was honored for his heroic WWII exploits with a
bridge-naming ceremony orcestrated by VFW 145 Post Comander Lino Rego with
the unflagging support of Westport's State Representative Paul Schmid and
State Senator Michael Rodrigues. Rego awarded Certificates
of Appreciation to Westport's freshmen legislators for their steadfast
support for Westport veterans' organizations and Westport's veterans, and the
Selectmen applauded them.
Westport artisans shine in 2011
Open Studio Tour. EverythingWestport.com Sunday, July 17, 2011 Click
here to view the hi-resolution photo album. Need Adobe Flash to view album? Click here!
And so do the artisans. Westport's pastures, ponds, preserved history and water influence may
be why so many artisans call it home. So many artisans, in fact, that this bucolic seaside community
supports two open studio tours, more than just a handful of home studios and
high-end galleries, and more community art shows than you can shake a stick
at. The first leg of the eighth annual South Coast Artists Studio Tours
highlighted the artistic sensibilities of the many artists who do call
Westport home, and hundreds of visitors came out this past weekend to meet
them. Left: Susan Strauss exhibited this year's crop
of "organic" local landscapes and figures. Many of the artists on the tour demonstrated how they create their
one-of-a-kind artworks. This year there are 74 exhibiting artists on two separate weekends:
July 16-17 and August 20-21. So don't despair if you missed this past
weekend, you can catch most of them in August. Whether this is your first visit, or you’re a seasoned traveler to the
South Coast, you’re sure to be impressed by the amazing quality and
incredible range of creative work being produced in these scenic communities. Click
here for their brochure.
Left: Sharon Andrade
in her home studio. Sharon is most at home with oil and acrylic paintings and
creates paintings of various subjects and sizes Right: Stacy Goes exhibiting at
the Westport Rivers Vineyard. Stacy conceives alluring compositions which are
revered by designers, color theorist and art lovers throughout the country.
Left: Karen Raus, a CPA with an artistic flair, enjoys photography
and encaustic painting. Encaustic
painting, also known as hot wax painting, involves using heated beeswax to which colored
pigments are added. Metal tools and special brushes can be used to shape the
paint before it cools, or heated metal tools can be used to manipulate the
wax once it has cooled onto the surface.
Right: Karen's recent work - "a favorite of mine because
I love the old feeling and its imperfect nature."
Left: Karen Raus won "Best Landscape" at the recent Little
Compton 2011 Photography Show. Right:
Sisters of the Wool, a sponsor of the Open Studio Tours, gave spinning and
knitting demonstrations throughout the weekend. Shown is Pat Brost (right) with Deb Torres.
Left and right: The magic and
artistry of Wayne Fuerst of Sticks, Stones and Stars reveals itself in his
pottery and handmade paper. An instructor as well as an accomplished potter,
Wayne teaches both in area venues and universities.
The Westport Art
group is a rich enclave of talented artisans in all forms of art. Left:
Dennis Broadbent, contemporary realism.
Right: Heide Hallemeier,
watercolorist extraordinaire in depicting the beauty of New England. Below left: Rising star
Mary Sexton enjoys creating small oil paintings and pastels of local
landscapes. Below right: Paul Vien is a master at the technical illustration and
composition of southcoast landscapes and seascapes.
Left: Susan Barker at
Boathouse Row displaying her asymmetrical necklaces connected with sterling
silver, semi-precious stones and glass beads.
Center: Daughter Nina Barker works in hand-hammered sterling
silver and gold vermeil cuffs, bangles, necklaces and earrings. Right: Sarah Fielding-Gunn at
Westport Rivers Vineyard creates pastels and oils bursting in life, color and
light.
Left: Robyn Souza spinning
at Sisters of the Wool. Right:
at the wheel with master potter Wayne Fuerst.
Left: Westport Art
Group exhibition and sale. Right:
Barbara Chadwick produces extraordinary shellwork sailors
valentines in octagonal shadowboxes in modern and traditional styles. - - - - - End - - - - - ©
2011 Community Events of Westport
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