Once a year, downtown turns into a pedestrian mall. It’s “Art About Town” — one of Westport’s newest traditions.
Part art exhibit, part street fair — and all fun — it’s a great way to kick off a month-long exhibit of art (for sale!) by 65 artists, in 60 locations.
It started an hour ago. If you’re reading this before 8:30 p.m. on Thursday — there’s still time to go.
Just don’t think of parking on Main Street.
There were plenty of great artist demonstrations tonight. But none was more impressive than Rosiejon. She has no arms — so she uses her feet. Amazingly, she has been painting for just a year.
Harry Moritz graduated from Staples in 2010 — and from Pratt less than a week ago. Here’s one of his creations.
Another kind of artist is performer Jared Rydelek. This was just his warmup.
This young man may be trying out for Art About Town — the 2035 version.
Joyce Landon is among 65 artists who is exhibiting downtown, for the next month. Her works can be seen in the TD Bank lobby.
Dear Dan,
Wow, very cool to see this. I have really been enjoying reading your blog from over here in Switzerland. It’s brought back many wonderful memories of growing up in Greens Farms in the 50’s and 60’s. When my father’s job was transferred to London in 1970, I was devastated that I wouldn’t be able to graduate from Staples, and could only do my freshman year there. As life turns out, it’s all been for the better and I would never have had the opportunities in my career as a dancer if we hadn’t moved.
I have a research question for you that I have been curious about for a while. When I decided to start ballet as an 8 year old there were two teachers in Westport; Joanne de Berg and Bambi Lynn. My mom did some research and decided upon Joanne (for which I am ever grateful as she was an excellent teacher and human being who taught me as much about life as she did about dance, and who gave me such a good base that I could easily enter into the best schools in the world – The School of American Ballet and The Royal Ballet School without a problem. At the time, though, I was pretty angry because most of my friends went to Bambi Lynn, who also taught tap and ball room dancing as well as ballet. Flash forward to a couple of years ago and since I have befriended someone on FaceBook (a friend of a friend) who is a dancer living in Florida named Bambi Lynn! No connection to Westport at all. She tells me that her mother named her after a dancer who was dancing in Hollywood films and also with Agnes de Mille. I was wondering if you knew if the Bambi Lynn from Westport was indeed this same dancer or not? Would you mind posing the question to other readers if you don’t know the answer? It would be fun for me to know the answer and inform my FB friend!
Again, many thanks for the blog and keeping us ex-pats informed on Westport’s development. I admit that the last time I drove through it on my way from NYC up to Maine I barely recognised it! Even the old house I grew up in has changed enormously! (308 Greens Farms Road). Happy to see that the post office and train station haven’t changed that much, though!
All the best
Shonach Mirk Robles >
Thanks, Shonach — much appreciated. Sounds as if you are one more in a long list of very successful Westporters, leading extremely interesting lives!)
The Bambi Linn (great name!) you mention is indeed the former Broadway and TV star (though only one film), who studied with Agnes de Mille. Here’s her Wikipedia entry, which mentions Westport: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bambi_Linn
She was married to Joe de Jesus, another great dancer. They taught classes in Westport for a while.
Hope that helps. And the next time you’re in Westport, give a yell!