Richard Rauh died today at his Westport home, where he was in hospice care due to a number of ailments. He was 98 years old.
Dick, as he was known to all, lived in Westport for many decades. He earned fame in retirement for his botanical watercolors — highlights of a Westport Library show earlier this year.
Dick Rauh
Most recently, he was part of the film “Below Surface.” The documentary about the Westport Weston Family YMCA’s Aquafit program includes an interview, in which Dick describes how much he got from the program.
An avid Y member, he was 96 when he was filmed, in and out of the water.
He attended primary school in his native Brooklyn, then the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan.
Dick served in the Navy as a communications officer. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Hobart College, and studied at the Art Students League.
He then began a long career as an animator, artist and eventually art director in the New York film industry.
Dick was the art director and part owner of the Optical House, a motion picture effects and editing business where he worked with Woody Allen, Brian DePalma and many others. He worked on many films and television ads, and did pro bono work for public television shows like “Sesame Street” and “The Electric Company.”
In his earlier years he was president of the New York screen cartoonist union. After becoming an employer he continued to work with the union, helping set up an annuity for members.
As president of the animation community organization ASIFA East, he judged at festivals all over the world.
After retiring, Dick attended a flower drawing course at the New York Botanical Gardens. Inspired, he earned a doctorate in botany from Lehman College.
One of Dick Rauh’s many botanical watercolors.
His love of the beauty and science of plants led him to create and teach a course in plant morphology at the NYBG. He also served as president of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and the American Society of Botanical Artists.
His botanical paintings are in permanent collections at the Hunt in Pittsburgh and London’s Lindley Library, and has won a golden award at the Royal Horticultural Society in London. Dick’s retrospective art exhibition at the Westport Library drew crowds of friends and admirers.
Dick continued teaching online until just a few weeks before his death. He said that of all his accomplishments, teaching was the most important and most gratifying.
Dick was predeceased in 2018 by his wife of 66 years, Harriette Lyford. He is survived by his daughter Helen, sons Daniel and David, grandchildren Marshall, Dustin, Joshua Rauh, and Andrew and Chester Glenn, stepdaughter Sarah Cotner, and great-grandchildren Reece and Ivy.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday (October 11, 1 p.m., Temple Israel). Burial will take be private. For more information and to share condolences, click here.
On Tuesday, AAPI Westport founders Patra Kanchanagom, Rosie Jon and Sarin Cheung headed to Town Hall. They brought popular treats.
Selectwomen Jen Tooker, Andrea Moore and Candi Savin, and Police Chief Foti Koskinas, joined them. The AAPI members shared new year traditions, and showed the work of middle school Mandarin classes. Each year, they decorate schools with words signifying good future, prosperity, peace and protection.
農曆新年快樂!
AAPI representatives and town officials celebrate the Lunar New Year at Town Hall.
98-year-old artist Dick Rauh talks about his current (and remarkable) exhibit, “A Botanical Retrospective.” A reception follows. (Sunday, January 29, 2 to 4 p.m., Trefz Forum.)
“Musical Notes: Selections from the Westport Public Art Collections Reception” is set for Tuesday (January 31, 6:30 to 8 p.m.). The Staples High School Jazz Combo performs, and light snacks will be served.
Yesterday’s “06880” Roundup gave an incorrect time for this Sunday’s “medical kit maker” event at The Readiness Collective, in Norwalk’s SoNo Collection. The correct time is 4 to 6 p.m.
Run by Staples High School graduates Jesse and Sefra Levine — who since 2003 have been helping people around the globe survive disasters.
The goal this Sunday is to build 600 med kits, to be hand delivered next month to front-line units.
Everyone is welcome. Questions? Email jesse@tactivate.com.
On Saturday, the Fairfield County Story Lab (21 Charles Street, 2 to 4 p.m.) welcomes Sandi Shelton (aka Maddie Dawson) to celebrate her latest novel, “Snap Out of It!” Everyone — Lab member and others — is invited to the reading, signing and snacking.
The Fairfield County Story Lab is a shared workspace for creatives. To reserve a spot, email info@fcstorylab.com.
Locally, the 15th annual Darwin Day Dinner is set for February 11 (The Inn at Longshore; also Zoom).
It’s both a party (cocktail hour, dinner), a science quiz (with prizes), and a lecture.
“Concurrent Infections” is the topic of the presentation by Dr. Vanessa Ezenwa, professor and researcher at Yale’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases in wild animal populations.
High school and college students passionate about science join the celebration (and help their tables with the Science Quiz). Their tickets are covered by attendees and benefactors.
Click here for tickets and more information. Questions? Email jlevin6@zoho.com, or call 646-221-9134.
Dr. Vanessa Ezenwa
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Today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo features the sight just outside Lauri Weiser’s Lansdowne condo window:
Two of the Top 10 most streamed movies last weekend were holiday films.
And both have strong Westport connections.
“Spirited” (Apple TV+) ranked 7th overall for the weekend. The musical comedy retelling of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds (also shown in theaters) was written in part by 2003 Staples High School graduate Justin Paul, and his songwriting partner Benj Pasek (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman”). Justin also served as an executive producer.
Right behind “Spirited,” in 8th place, was “Something From Tiffany’s” (Amazon Prime Video). The rom-com is directed by 2002 Staples grad Daryl Wein (and produced by Reese Witherspoon).
Justin and Daryl were good friends at Staples. They were in Orphenians and Staples Players together — and 20 years ago this weekend, shared the stage for the annual Candlelight Concert. (Hat tip: Kerry Long)
The Greens Farms train station COVID testing site — run since last January by Progressive Diagnostics — closed on Thursday. The move was made to accommodate normal station operations and concessions.
Progressive’s same-day COVID, flu and RSV tests remain available at their Norwalk and Wilton sites. Clients can schedule appointments online, or walk in.
Progressive Diagnostics’ Covid PCR tests detect the presence of viruses even before symptoms begin. Results are delivered the same day. The company also offers telehealth, connecting patients with professionals who can discuss symptoms and provide orders for flu and/or RSV tests.
PS: As Bob Weingarten notes, free COVID tests are available online from the US government. Click here for details.
The ever-changing Winslow Park Animal Hospital front lawn has gone whole hog for the holidays.
Their decorations are a welcome treat for anyone — and by that, I mean “everyone” who waits at the Post Road light between the Westport Country Playhouse and Playhouse Square.
But you’re never too old to have a Westport Library exhibit.
His botanical paintings are featured in the Sheffer Gallery, from now through February 28. An artist talk and reception, with Rauh and Miggs Burroughs, is set for January 29 (2 p.m.).
“06880” reader Larry Bartimer urges everyone to see the exhibit.
“What an amazing man!” Larry says. “He is the most alert and intelligent 97-year-0ld man I have ever met. He should be celebrated. He kept us captivated at his Library show.”
In a supporting — but very important — role: dozens of red and white poinsettias.
The holiday plants enriched an already wonderful show. Lynn Untermeyer Miller captured a small part of the array, for our “Westport … Naturally” feature.
And finally … Dino Danelli — one of the greatest drummers in rock history — died Thursday in New York. He was 78, and had been in ill health for several years.
Inspired by Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, he helped make the Rascals one of the first American bands to capitalize on the success of the British Invasion.
The New York Times says Danelli “merged percussive virtuosity with a rock sensibility. Like Ringo Starr of the Beatles, he set the template for the rock drummer archetype: disciplined and precise, but with a flair that drew the crowd’s eye.”
When the Rascals were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, Steven Van Zandt — who played with Danelli — called him “the greatest rock drummer of all time.” Click here for a full obituary.
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This week’s Board of Education community conversation was wide-ranging, robust and fruitful. If you missed
It was so successful, the board will schedule another conversation. They’ll begin with the topics they ended with: books in the high school library, and equity action planning.
The next event will be scheduled in the evening. When the date is finalized, “06880” will let you know.
Meanwhile, last night, a couple of hundred people enjoyed dozens of wines (and excellent hors d’oeuvres), at Westport Sunrise Rotary’s annual (but first since COVID) “Uncorked” fundraiser.
The tastings were courtesy of The Fine Wine Company. The dining came courtesy of the host Inn at Longshore.
And the money raised? It all goes to the many worthy program — here and abroad — supported by our excellent Sunrise Rotary Club.
Last night’s “Westport Uncorked,” at the Inn at Longshore. (Photo/Dan Woog)
A reader writes: “The other day I dropped an envelope into a mailbox between the diner and dance studio. I felt something sticky, and realized the envelope was not falling into the box.”
“I called the check’s recipient a few days later. They had not gotten the check. I went to the box to see if I could retrieve it. I couldn’t, so I went to the post office. They gave me a number to call.
“I called, and found out I was scammed. The sticky page catches my envelope. Thieves erase and change all the information they need: signature, amount, routing and account numbers.
“I had to go to the bank, get new account numbers, order new checks, remember all my direct deposits and notify them.
“Why isn’t something posted about this scam? The post office and bank know about it. Why hasn’t he public been alerted?
Since graduating from Staples High School in 2013, and Middlebury College 4 years later, August Laska has done many things.
He worked for Snapchat and Disney. He co-produced an Off-Broadway show. He was a marketer.
Now — after being furloughed in the pandemic — he’s got a new gig. He owns The Old Yew Plant Shop on Horatio Street in the West Village.
It offers plants for all tastes and plant-growing abilities, plus landscaping and installation services, expert advice, and anything else city dwellers need (for their plants, anyway).
August always loved plants. But not until his temporary COVID-induced move back to Westport did he have a chance to indulge in his passion.
Work on his yard led to requests by relatives and friends. When someone asked him to do his work indoors — bingo.
This week, Off the Grid — a Village blog — profiled August and The Old Yew Plant Shop. Click here for a story that’s even livelier than Audrey II.
But August is not sitting around twiddling his (green) thumbs. He’ll open a second Manhattan location soon.
August Laska at The Old Yew Plant Shop. (Photo courtesy of Off the Grid)
Tomorrow’s Green’s Farms Congregational organ rededication — with a concert by renowned improvisationist Justin Bischof, in honor of organist Rick Tripodi, who oversaw the reinstallation but died just before completion — is set for 4 p.m. tomorrow (Sunday, November 20).
But you’re never too old to have a Westport Library exhibit.
His botanical paintings will be featured in the Sheffer Gallery, from December 5 through February 28. An artist talk and reception, with Rauh and Miggs Burroughs, is set for January 20.
“I am extremely fortunate to be granted the ability to continue to function as well as I do as the years pass,” says Rauh, who took up botanical painting in retirement, after a long career in motion pictures special effects.
“Spread along these walls are the results of what I have observed looking closely at flowers over the years. Whether in my quest for the accurate I have managed to bring a personal statement is for you to judge. It is enough for me that you will look at flowers in a way you never have before.”
Rauh won the gold medal and Best in Show awards at the 2006 Royal Horticultural Society Show in London, and his work is in several permanent collections. He has taught in the botanical illustration certificate program at the New York Botanical Gardens since 1994 and was named its Teacher of the Year in 2010. He also teaches widely in senior centers.
Two other exhibits will be featured at the Library too: “Speak to Me” (woven art by Westporter Tina Puckett), and 8 works from the Westport Public Art Collections.
Westport’s Thiel Architecture + Design is known for its office, restaurant, retail and residential projects.
Now they’re known by the Connecticut chapter of the American Institute of Architect too.
Thiel’s design of a Brooklyn office will receive an Excellence in Interior Architecture award. It and 5 other designs are in contention for Connecticut Project of the Year.
The design is for a company that downsized after the pandemic. The new Williamsburg space “functions less as a ‘workhouse’ and more as a ‘clubhouse,’a gathering place where employees come together to re-energize, zoom with remote clients and collaborators, and do intermittent touchdown work.”
Thiel is currently designing the future Weston Town Green, and last year worked with the Westport Farmers’ Market on a concept for a permanent home at the Imperial Avenue lot.
With winter near (despite the Compo swimmers, above), Westporters are stocking up on wood.
James Parisi is one of the few who chops his own.
And probably the only one who takes such a dramatic photo of his work.
Now it will warm him 3 times: Once when he chopped it. Then when he burns it. And now, when he sees it featured as today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo.
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