Tag Archives: Scott Froschauer

Roundup: Busy Saturday, Popup Sea Bags, Trunk Show …

Posted on October 3, 2026 | Leave a comment

Rain postponed the Slice of Saugatuck from last week to today.

It rained briefly yesterday too. But that did not step a crew of Staples Service League of Boys (SLOBs) — and their moms — from helping set up for this afternoon’s Slice.

The 14th annual Westport Weston Chamber of Commerce event takes place from 2 to 5 p.m., all around Saugatuck. Click here for full details.

SLOBs and moms set up for the Slice of Saugatuck.

The Slice is not the only big event today.

Also on tap:

  • Westoberfest, sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association (1 to 5 p.m., Elm Street); click here for details.
  • Fall Festival (11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Earthplace); click here for details. 
  • KMS Team and Origin Point open house (12 to 4 p.m., former Patagonia store downtown)
  • PopShop Market (10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Westport Museum for History & Culture)
  • Westport Country Playhouse Gala (5:30 p.m.); click here for details.

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Sea Bags — a new holiday pop-up shop — opened yesterday in Bedford Square.

Sea Bags creates totes, handbags and accessories from reclaimed sailcloth, giving sails a new life after their time on the water.

The Westport shop will be open for 3 months, carrying gifts including skincare, home accessories, and apparel. To learn more,  click here.

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The Artists Collective of Westport’s annual trunk show is much more than, well, art sold from actual car trunks.

There’s music and food (and easels, panels and tables too).

The next one is tomorrow (Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), at the Westport Library’s lower parking lot.

Bring a large vehicle, to haul away your purchases.

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Westport resident Scott Foley joins Harrison Ford, Jason Segel and Jessica Williams for season 4 of Apple TV’s “Shrinking.

He’ll play a therapy patient, in the show about a grieving therapist who tells his clients exactly what he thinks.

Foley is a busy man. According to Deadline, he’ll also appear in a regular role on the Hulu pilot “Young Americans,” playing Judd Burchfield, president of the US.

And he’ll return too as Sean Kelly, in the second season of ABC’s “Scrubs” revival.

Click here for the full Deadline story. (Hat tip: Dave Briggs)

Scott Foley (Photo courtesy of Deadline)

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The first absentee ballot of this election season was given to Ken Stamm.

He reports,  “There was no line in Room 105. But they did have a tray of outgoing ones, which by law had to wait until Friday to be mailed out.”

For the first time, Ken notes, there is no need to be out of town, or sick, to receive an absentee ballot.

The envelope looks a bit different, he says. But the drop box behind Town Hall is there, as always.

2026 ballot materials. (Photo/Ken Stamm)

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Scott Froschauer — a noted artist, sculptor and 1988 Staples High School graduate, whose “colorful public artworks turned familiar street signs into messages of kindness, optimism and reflection,” died Wednesday, according to WeHo Times. He was 57, and friends said he died peacefully in his sleep.

Scott was well known for works that use street signs to convey more useful instructions (like “Breathe” and “All We Have is Now”).

Scott Froschauer, with one of his signs in West Hollywood. (Photo courtesy of WeHo Times)

Ann Sheffer — the 1966 Staples graduate active in the arts scene both here and in Southern California — commissioned one of Scott’s signs for the Westport Arts Advisory Committee. Placed downtown, it celebrated Miggs Burroughs and Ann Chernow’s “Welcome to Art Town” newspaper column.

Scott Froschauer’s Westport sign.

Click here to read the full WeHo Times story. (Hat tip: Kristen McGrath)

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After the rains of the past few weeks, it’s natural there’s been an explosion of fungus.

So, today’s “Westport … Naturally” featured photo shows a typical example.

Amy Schneider found it in her yard. It felt squishy– “like a balloon.” Google identified it as pisolithus arhizus.

We admit its natural. But it’s still kind of gross.

(Photo/Amy Schneider)

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And finally … there’s a lot going on in Westport today (story above). Cue the action!

(Of course, “06880” is always where the action is. And the stories, news, comments, photos — you name it, it’s here. If you enjoy all the action, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

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Posted in Arts, Entertainment, Local business, Obituaries, Politics, Westport Country Playhouse

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Ann Sheffer’s Star

Posted on April 22, 2023 | 14 comments

Ann Sheffer is a long-time Westport star.

The Westport native and 1966 Staples High School graduate has served her home town in countless ways, large and small.

After graduating with a degree in theater from Smith College, she earned a master’s in theater administration from Tufts, and an MBA from the University of Washington. Sheffer worked with a wide range of non-profit arts groups, on boards at the local, state and national levels.

A too-brief local list includes the Westport Arts Center, Westport Historical Society and Westport Library, plus literally dozens of town committees and events, from arts and education to history and culture.

She helped found the Westport Arts Advisory Committee in 1994, which thrives today.

A former trustee of the Westport Country Playhouse, she helped plan its early-2000s renovation (including procuring grants,  preserving posters from its long history).

Ann Sheffer

Sheffer has been named a WAC “Queen of the Arts,” and a Westport Weston Family YMCA “Face of Achievement.”

For 50 years she’s been a driving force behind the Betty R. Sheffer Foundation, named after her late mother.

(Her family’s roots in Westport go back even further. Starting in the 1930s, her grandparents spent summers and weekends in Westport. Their property, on the corner of Cross Highway and Bayberry Lane, predates the Merritt Parkway and Nike site — which became the Westport Weston Health District and Rolnick Observatory.)

At the national level, Sheffer served on President Clinton’s Committee on Arts and Humanities, and been an Americans for the Arts and Political Action Fund board member.

Her honors include the Athena Visionary Award, the Women Who Rule Award, and the Women In Philanthropy Award.

She and her husband, former Staples classmate Bill Scheffler*, had a second home in another arts community: Palm Springs, California.

Now Sheffer is a star there.

Literally.

Earlier this month, she became the 460th person to be honored on the town’s “Walk of the Stars.” She was cited as a “Public Art Visionary” and “Humanitarian.”

Out west, Sheffer has chaired the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission, and been part of humanitarian and philanthropic agencies like DAP Health and the Inland Empire Community Foundation.

She has received the Equality California Community Leadership Award, and the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission Community Leadership Award.

Criteria for her most recent award note that a nominee should have “greatly distinguished themselves with altruistic deeds and significant contributions to their city, state and country.  They should have received national or international recognition in the form of honors or awards. And they should be widely known by the general public to have impacted the lives of people locally or internationally, or have had a significant positive effect on…the health and well-being within the community.”

Sheffer has done all that, and more.

Of course, with Westport and Palm Springs sharing an arts sensibility — and with Sheffer’s continent-wide connections — there is an “06880” tie-in.

Six years ago, when she began chairing the Public Arts Commission, she put up a sign: “Imagine Art Here.”

Ann Sheffer, Scott Froschauer and his sign.

It was created by Scott Froschauer, a Los Angeles-based artist who was gaining attention for works that use street signs to convey more useful instructions (like “Breathe” and “All We Have is Now”).

Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler, with one of their Scott Froschauer works.

It turned out that Scott had gone to Staples too. He graduated in 1988.

Ann commissioned one of Scott’s signs for the Westport Arts Advisory Committee, to celebrate Miggs Burroughs and Ann Chernow’s “Welcome to Art Town” newspaper column.

But it wasn’t until the Palm Springs “Walk of the Stars” dedication — attended by Ann’s daughter, Emily Reich — that they realized Emily and Scott had been members of the same BBS (early internet site).

He remembered her by her online name.

The stars definitely aligned for that one.

*It’s no coincidence their last names are similar. They met in the same alphabetically created homeroom at Staples, then reconnected years later.

(“06880” covers the local arts scene — wherever it goes. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)

 

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COVID-19 Roundup: Trout Brook, Barnes & Noble Reopen; Face Mask Messages; More

Posted on April 26, 2020 | 4 comments

After discussions with Weston officials, Aspetuck Land Trust is reopening Trout Brook Valley’s largest parking lot — the one on Bradley Road. It will be available starting tomorrow (Monday, April 27), on weekdays only. NOTE: Dogs are not allowed!

Click here for information on all 42 ATL preserves’, and their hiking trails.

Staples High School 1988 graduate Scott Froschauer is now a Los Angeles artist. He’s gotten lots of attention for works that use street signs to convey more useful instructions (like “Breathe” and “All We Have is Now”).

Longtime Westporters Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler — who spent part of the year in Palm Springs — are huge fans. They bought some of his work even before they knew the local connection.

Now, Ann reports, Scott is making face masks. They’re like his street signs, with messages like “Dream,” “Smile” and “Do Your Best.”

And, of course, “Breathe.” Click here to order.

Good news: Barnes & Noble is back open. Curbside pickup is available from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

That news comes from Nina Sankovitch, who has particular reason to be pleased. Her newest book — American Rebels: How the Hancock, Adams, and Quincy Families Fanned the Flames of Revolution — is well stocked there.

Anyone buying her book there will receive a nice gift: one of Nina’s American Rebels tote bags (below).

And, she promises, once the virus is gone, she’ll be happy to sign your book.

Two weeks ago, “06880” posted a video of 1970 Staples High School graduate Stephen Wall — now a tenor with the Seattle Opera — entertaining his socially distancing neighbors with a rousing rendition of “Nessun Dorma.”

This week he’s back, bolder and more rousing than ever. Here he is, with his “Friday Figaro.”

This is not stop-the-presses news: raising teenagers is hard. These days, it’s even tougher.

Tomorrow (Monday, April 27, 12 to 1 p.m.), Westport Together sponsors a webinar: “Parenting High School Juniors and Seniors During the Coronavirus Pandemic.”

The program features local mental health professionals Deb Slocum of the Staples High School Counseling Department, Karen Krupnik of Positive Directions, and director of Westport Public Schools psychological services Dr. Valerie Babich. They’ll discuss ways to develop social, academic and emotional skills needed for life after high school. To register, click here or watch on Facebook Live.

Next month, Westport Together hosts more virtual discussion groups for parents of elementary, middle and high school students. Click here for their website.

Beechwood Arts’ “Coming Out Of COVID” event planned for this Wednesday (April 29) is postponed. The reason: a death in the organizers’ family. from complications of the coronavirus.

It will be rescheduled. For more information, click here.

And finally … Dionne Warwick reminds us of a simple, yet very important, truth:

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Posted in Arts, Environment, Local business, Organizations

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2 Degrees Of Art Separation

Posted on February 17, 2018 | 6 comments

As every Kevin Bacon fan knows, everyone in the world is connected by just 6 degrees of separation.

With a Westport connection, those degrees of separation are much closer.

Alert “06880” reader Evan Stein sends along a story that begins with Kate Burns-Howard and Scott Froschauer.

Before graduating from Staples High School, they had worked together at Fine Arts IV. Now Scott’s a Los Angeles-based artist, getting attention for works that use street signs to convey more useful instructions (like “Breathe” and “All We Have is Now”).

On Facebook, Kate reposted a story about a friend who was selling Scott’s art at a Palm Springs show. Kate mentioned Ann Sheffer in the post — probably because Ann is the mother of Kate’s good friend Emily Reich. And Ann (a longtime Westporter and proud Staples grad) now spends a lot of time in Palm Springs. And Ann is a noted art collector.

Turns out, Ann and her husband Bill Scheffler had already bought a piece in Scott’s show — but had no idea he’s from Westport, or that he knew their daughter and her friend.

Kevin Bacon would be proud.

Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler, with their new Scott Froschauer work..

 

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Posted in Arts, Media, People, Staples HS

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