Westchester News in Brief
New Pop-Up Shopping Series Invites Guests Into Downtown White Plains
ArtsWestchester announces the launch of its Shop & Sip Third Wednesdays event series. The happy hour pop-up shopping experience will take place in the organization’s gallery in downtown White Plains from 6-8:30pm on the third Wednesday of every month. Guests will enjoy a drink and discover local artists and designers, whose handcrafted items will be on display and for sale. The series became permanent after the success of a Shop & Sip event earlier this winter. The March 21 event will celebrate Women’s History Month with seven female artists and designers. Proceeds benefit ArtsWestchester’s vibrant exhibition programming. For more info, visit artsw.org/shopsip.
Rye Arts Center Purchases Sculpture for Permanent Display in Local Park
The Rye Arts Center has purchased a sculpture that was initially installed in Rye Town Park as part of the Center’s public art initiative in August 2016. Damien Vera’s Cope was on loan from the Art Students League of New York and will now remain in the park permanently. The fourteen-foot tall sculpture is comprised of five curved steel towers. Within each is a sculpture of a human figure, only visible with human engagement. According to one of the Center’s arts patrons, Gail Roman, “Cope is a wonderful manifestation of The Rye Arts Center’s mission to inspire everyone’s interest in art.” For more info on The Rye Arts Center, visit ryeartscenter.org.
In Memoriam: Lois Bronz
Lois Bronz, the first woman, and the first African-American, to hold office in Westchester County’s Board of Legislators, has passed away. Bronz, who also served as Vice-Chair and Chair of the Board, was a humanitarian who championed causes such as day care, education and affordable housing. The Greenburgh resident helped to form the Westchester County Human Rights Commission. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees for Union Child Day Care, which was later named in her honor, Bronz served as a director on Boards of Trustees that include Children’s Village in Dobb’s Ferry, United Way of Westchester and ArtsWestchester. She was also an avid supporter of funding for the arts in Westchester.
In Memoriam: David Swope
David Swope, a life-long resident of Ossining, was a prominent community leader and philanthropist. The entrepreneur, who co-founded Club Fit, also took an interest in helping nonprofit organizations in Westchester. He served as Chair on several Boards of Trustees, including Westchester Community College, Teatown Lake Reservation and Jacob Burns Film Center, where he supported the expansion of the Center’s education programming.
A version of this article first appeared in the March issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
