Art Café
Join us for a casual gathering with coffee and scones, for a discussion of the latest events in the art world. Hosted by Director of Visual Arts Helen Klisser during, Art Café is a great way to meet other artists and art enthusiasts in the area, and learn about exhibitions to visit in the area. Bring your friends, or come by yourself and make new friends.

Art Café is free and takes place every Friday from 9:30-10:30am at WAC in our lounge graciously furnished by Signorello of Westport.

Gather notes, follow links, and continue the discussion from each Friday's ArtCafe on the Westport Arts Center Facebook Page here.

"The Art of Longshore"
An exhibition at the Westport Public Library
June 1 to July 31, 2010
Curated by Helen Klisser During

Opening reception: Friday, June 4, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.

For a checklist of works available for sale in this exhibition, click here.

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the acquisition by the town of Longshore Club Park, art depicting its natural beauty will be displayed. From its graceful tree-lined entrance to its vistas of verdant fairways and fescue-draped bunkers to its scenic views of marshland, river, this unique landscape and seascape has attracted generations of artists from around the world, each in their own way inspired by “The Art of Longshore.”

This much-loved recreational facility along the shores of Long Island Sound is widely regarded as the most significant land acquisition in the town’s history. The 169-acre Longshore Club Park was opened to townspeople on May 28, 1960. Generations of Westporters have enjoyed its recreational amenities, which today include a golf course, marina, swimming pools, tennis courts, ice-skating rink, picnic areas, and playgrounds. They and many others also benefit from the nationally renowned Longshore Sailing School as well as The Inn at Longshore, a popular venue for weddings, banquets, benefits, and other social and civic functions.

One of a series of special events and exhibitions being organized this year by the town-appointed Longshore 50th Anniversary Committee, "The Art of Longshore" exhibit is curated by Helen Klisser During, Director of Visual Arts for the Westport Arts Center.

Visit the Westport Historical Society to view the “Longshore Treasured Memories” exhibit, on display through the summer. For more details about the Longshore 50th Anniversary project, visit www.westporthistory.org/longshore50.

Photo credit Larry Silver, "Jogger at Longshore," 1979; Logo by Miggs Burroughs.

Art Around the World Summer Camp
New Destinations and Projects!
July 26-30

9:30am-12:30pm
For children entering 1st - 4th grade

Back by popular demand!
Take a whirlwind tour around the world and create art work inspired by cultures from all over the globe. Projects include Egyptian portraits, African masks, Italian mosaics, Indian miniature drawings, and jazz inspired musical instruments.
 

Registration Information
Member registration begins February 22, 2010
Public registration begins March 1, 2010

Cost
$275 / $250 for members

Cancellation policy
Registration fees are non-refundable after 6/1/10. Prior to or on 6/1/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee

Architecture, Sculpture & 3D Summer Camp
August 2-6

9:30am-12:30pm SOLD OUT
2pm-4pm SPACE STILL AVAILABLE
For children entering 1st - 4th grade

Do you love to build and construct? Design buildings, creatures, and machines and turn them into 3-D objects. We will explore artists and architects throughout art history, using a variety of mixed-media including papier-mâché, wood, clay, paint, and wire to create wild and imaginative creations.

Cost
3 hour camp: $275 / $250 for members
2 hour camp: $200 / $175 for members

Cancellation policy
Registration fees are non-refundable after 6/1/10. Prior to or on 6/1/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee

SUMMER - Group Members Exhibition
June 11 – July 25, 2010

Opening Reception: Friday, August 6, 6:30 - 8:30pm.
“Picasso & Braque Go to the Movies” Film Screening: August 12, 7pm.
Art Café: Fridays, 9:30 - 10:30am. Chat about the exhibit & the art world.
Brown Bag Lunch Talks with the Artists: Wednesdays, 12:30 - 1:30pm.

“In the summer, the song sings itself.”
-William Carlos Williams, poet

The Westport Arts Center celebrates the artistic diversity of our community with its annual Group Members Show. This themed exhibition, which explores the spirit of summer, wil be juried by Alexandra Munroe, Ph.D., Senior Curator of Asian Art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.


We are proud to announce the 70 artists in the 2010 Group Members Juried Exhibition:

Experimental Drawing and Painting Summer Camp
August 9-13
SOLD OUT - Call (203) 222-7070 to join a waiting list

9:30am-12:30pm
For children entering 3rd - 5th grade

Learn more advanced techniques in drawing and painting including sketching, composition, color, and perspective. Refine your skills using paints, pastels and pencils and discover new approaches to drawing still life, landscapes and portraits, as well as printmaking techniques.
 

Registration Information
Member registration begins February 22, 2010
Public registration begins March 1, 2010

Cost
$275 / $250 for members

Cancellation policy
Registration fees are non-refundable after 6/1/10. Prior to or on 6/1/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee

Produced by Martin Scorsese and Robert Greenhut and directed by Arne Glimcher, PICASSO AND BRAQUE GO TO THE MOVIES is a cinematic tour through the effects of the technological revolution, specifically the invention of aviation, the creation of cinema and their interdependent influence on artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. With narration by Scorsese, and interviews with art scholars and artists including Chuck Close, Julian Schnabel and Eric Fischl, the film looks at the collision between film and art at the turn of the 20th Century and helps us to realize cinema's continuing influence on the art of our time.

This event is free & open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Felting For Fun: A Soaping Sudsy Art Adventure Summer Camp
August 16-20

9:30am-12:30pm
For children entering 3rd - 5th grade

Explore the process of “felting,” using an array of vibrant colored materials including yarn, string and fabric. Just imagine how “wowed” your friends will be when they see your one of a kind collection of felted masterpieces! By the end of the class, participants will have created their own hand-felted series of fiber artworks.
 

Registration Information
Member registration begins February 22, 2010
Public registration begins March 1, 2010

Cost
$275 / $250 for members

Cancellation policy
Registration fees are non-refundable after 6/1/10. Prior to or on 6/1/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee

Art Around the World Summer Camp
New Destinations and Projects!
August 23-27
SOLD OUT - Call (203) 222-7070 to join a waiting list

9:30am-12:30pm
For children entering 1st - 4th grade

Back by popular demand!
Take a whirlwind tour around the world and create art work inspired by cultures from all over the globe. Projects include Egyptian pyramids, Venetian masks, Chinese Fans, Japenese calligraphy, and Tibetan Mandalas.
 

Registration Information
Member registration begins February 22, 2010
Public registration begins March 1, 2010

Cost
$275 / $250 for members

Cancellation policy
Registration fees are non-refundable after 6/1/10. Prior to or on 6/1/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee

2010 WRITING COMPETITION
Submission deadline: September 7, 2010
Download the Entry Form for Submission Guidelines and Eligibility Information

The Westport Arts Center, in partnership with Ina Chadwick's MouseMuse Productions, is seeking well-crafted memoirs of up to 1500 words for its upcoming writing competition.

As a multi-disciplinary arts organization, WAC is committed to integrating the literary and visual arts within its regular programming. Building on the success of our two previous writing initiatives, the Writers Artists Collaborative will rely on the Arts Center's visual arts exhibitions as a starting point for literary exploration.

This writing contest will culminate with professional actors reading the winning works at a festive reception and award ceremony in the WAC gallery on Sunday, October 17, 2010.

Top winners will also receive:

• $175 from the Writer's Endowment, sponsored by eChook Digital Publishing.
• Online publication on the WAC web literary archive
• Memoir read live on radio
• Publication in Weston Magazine and its affiliate magazines

IMPORTANT DATES
September 7 - Entries due
September 15 - College student entries due
September 24 - Winners notified / posted online
October 17, 4pm - Reception & winning stories read
October 22 - Winning stories published online

Children will explore a variety of media and experiment with basic painting techniques to create imaginative, original art.

Time Frame:
Ages 5-8: 9-10:15am
Ages 9-12: 10:30am-12noon

Individual Workshops:
$30 (members pay $25)

Cancellation Policy:
Registration fees are non-refundable after 9/14/10. Prior to or on 9/14/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee.

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

Memory
Curated by Helen Klisser During
September 24-November 28, 2010

Above: Works by Mayer Kirshenblatt

We begin our exhibition season with a show that explores the importance and fragility of memory, and assert that documenting one’s own experiences is a valuable undertaking that will have significant impact on future generations. Work in the show will include drawings, paintings, lithographs, film, and sculpture by Christian Boltanski, Sophie Calle, Anselm Keifer, Mayer Kirshenblatt, Leo Kok, and Ursula von Rydingsvard, among others. All of these artists address collective memories surrounding events pre- and post-World War II, but through the medium of art, embellish and abstract them, so that the resulting images exist in a space between fact and fiction.

As part of the exhibition, visitors will be encouraged to document their own memories through writing, speaking, drawing, or painting – proving that all of us have stories worth sharing and recording. The exhibition is intended to complement and build upon the powerful memories conveyed in Westport Country Playhouse’s fall production of The Diary of Anne Frank.

Opening Reception: Friday, August 6, 6:30 - 8:30pm.
Art Café: Fridays, 9:30 - 10:30am. Chat about the exhibit & the art world.

KinderCreate is a series of hands-on arts workshops for kindergartners who will sculpt, stack, layer, and paint against the backdrop of art history. Students work with an array of materials, explore a wide range of art movements, and create their own magnificent mixed-media creations.

Series price:
$215 / $175 for WAC members
Become a member here.

Fall 2010 dates:
Meets 8 Mondays, 2-3pm
September 27 - November 15

Cancellation Policy:
Registration fees are non-refundable after 9/14/10. Prior to or on 9/14/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee.

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

Using a range of modern and contemporary artists from Andy Warhol to Richard Serra, children will create two- and three- dimensional works of art. A variety of mediums and techniques will be explored including clay, printmaking, painting, and mixed-media collage. This popular class will allow your child to explore, learn and unleash their creative spirit!

Series price:
$215 / $175 for WAC members
Become a member here.

Fall 2010 dates:
Meets 8 Tuesdays, 4-5pm
September 28 - November 16

Meets 8 Thursdays, 4-5pm
September 30 - November 17

Cancellation Policy:
Registration fees are non-refundable after 9/14/10. Prior to or on 9/14/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee.

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

Join Artist Martha Bloom for this hands on parent/child class. Children will learn about color, texture, shapes and more as they engage and experiment with a range of fun materials. The program is designed to strengthen fine motor skills and provide a vehicle to nurture your child’s imagination and creative development.

Series price:
$175 / $150 for WAC members
Become a member here.

Fall 2010 dates:
Meets 5 Tuesdays, 9:30-10:30am
September 28 - October 26

Cancellation Policy:
Registration fees are non-refundable after 9/14/10. Prior to or on 9/14/10, cancellations will incur a $35.00 cancellation fee.

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

Using books and text, assemblage, and collage techniques, children will transform old books into “new” works of art.

Time Frame:
Ages 5-8: 9-10:15am
Ages 9-12: 10:30am-12noon

Individual Workshops:
$30 (members pay $25)

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

The St. Petersburg String Quartet, renowned for its authentically Russian style, will perform Tchaikovsky’s grand Third Quartet along with the sublimely lyrical Nocturne from Borodin’s String Quartet No. 2 and the Quintet for Bassoon and Strings. This Quintet was written by our own Russell Platt (featuring the extraordinary Peter Kolkay, Artist Member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the only bassoonist to win the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant.

The concert will begin with “Five Miniatures on Jewish Folk Tunes” by the distinguished Georgian composer Sulkhan Tsintsadze, programmed to complement our fall art exhibition, “Memory.”
 

This concert is sponsored by WAC Chamber Music Committee Members, Gloria and Michael Stashower.

Please join us after the concert for a 3-course prix fix dinner at Da Pietro's, 36 Riverside Avenue in Westport. $33 (tax, tip, and alcohol excluded). Call Da Pietros to make your reservation at (203) 454-1213.

Gypsy Jazz: From Django to Hendrix

n introduction to the great fusion of gypsy music with jazz as epitomized by the work of guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli. Brian Torff, who performed with Grappelli, will assemble a band of two guitars, bass, and violin that will bring new life and energy to this timeless music. It is the 100th anniversary of Django’s birth and the 40th anniversary of the death of Jimi Hendrix. In this landmark year, the group will perform Django’s music alongside the music of guitar legend Hendrix in this acoustic configuration.

Featuring Zach Brock on violin, Ted Gottsegen and Paul Brady on guitars, and Brian Torff on bass.
 

Election Day Workshop
With a certified yoga teacher and art educator, children will explore the relationship between yoga and art and create works of art with the mind, body, and spirit.

Time Frame:
Ages 6-10: 10-11:30am

Individual Workshops:
$40 (members pay $35)

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

Join local artist and photographer Michael Elsden during this exciting, hands-on workshop. Children will build their own pinhole cameras and create new prints using this age-old medium.

Time Frame:
Ages 5-8: 9-10:15am
Ages 9-12: 10:30am-12noon

Individual Workshops:
$30 (members pay $25)

Registration begins August 23, 2010 for members.
Registration begins August 30, 2010 for the public.

Trio Solisti, one of the finest piano trios in the world, will perform Dvorak’s beloved “Dumky” Trio, Astor Piazzolla’s charming “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” (inspired by Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”), a work by Pulitzer Prize winner and former curator of the WAC chamber music series Paul Moravec, and the trio’s own unique arrangement of Mussorgsky’s thrilling “Pictures at an Exhibition.”

More informaion about Trio Solisti is available at www.triosolisti.com

Edmar Castaneda Trio

Edmar Castaneda, the amazing virtuoso harpist, has re-defined the instrument in jazz and latin music. In his hands a kaleidoscope of sounds have met with tremendous audience response at Tanglewood, Birdland and other international venues.

Edmar Castaneda was born in 1978, in the city of Bogotá, Colombia. Since his move to the United States in 1994, Edmar has quite literally taken New York and the world stage by storm with the sheer force of his virtuosic command of the harp—revolutionizing the way audiences and critics alike consider an instrument commonly relegated to the “unusual category”. A master at realizing beautiful complexities of time, while skillfully drawing out lush colors and dynamic spirit, Edmar has been characterized as “almost a world unto himself” (The New York Times).