NEW ARTWORK IN THE GALLERY!Featuring:Susan McCaslinJourneys: A Closer Look? Artwork will be on display March 11th - 28th, 2008?Public Opening Reception ?Saturday March 15th, from 6 - 9 PM?(Wine and cheese will be served)For Darien artist Susan McCaslin, the current exhibit at The Flow of Art Gallery in Norwalk offers a chance to examine how each journey one takes, in art and in life, encourages a “closer look.” The works on display illustrate, though collages, monotypes and oil pastels, how important symbols and iconography can be on these varied excursions. Journeys: A Closer Look is open now through March 28. A public opening reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, March 15th from 6pm to 9pm. Hope to see you there!The Story Behind Susan McCaslin:“I became interested in the language of symbols and iconography in a 10th grade Medieval history class,” McCaslin explains.  “I was intrigued by the hidden meanings and their interpretation by people in different parts of society.”That interest was heightened in the early 1970s, when she lived in Southern California and was exposed to the visual motifs of the vibrant Mexican and Native American cultures.  The result was a series of dolls that owed their heritage to Native American dolls and kachinas, as well as using wood as a painting media and including carving and attached found objects to the painting.Arriving in Connecticut in the early 1908s, her fascination with iconography exhibited itself in both colorful, outsider-type works that expressed contemporary women’s issues—feminism, mothering and womanhood, as well as the frailties and frustrations of being a “new” woman in an “old” world.At the same time, her award-winning work as a graphic designer led her to include new elements in her work—photographs, printed pieces, letters and type elements.  The results range from small and intimate collages, to monotypes that enable the artist to let the idea “find its own path”, to oil pastels that employ deep and vibrant colors to invite a closer look.“I am learning to follow and trust my instincts,” McCaslin notes, “and am learning to recognize that the most important moment in each piece comes just before the solution.”Please join us for this Exhibit?March 11th - March 28th ??For more information contact:Lindsey Ward: lward@flow-of-art.comMike Spizzirri: mike@flow-of-art.comChristien Ducker: christien@flow-of-art.comThe Flow of Art Gallery    16 River Street,    Norwalk, CT 06850     203-838-0500(River & Wall Street)

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This is part of an ongoing series of guest posts about issues in Norwalk. yourCT.com is a non-partisan site dedicated to airing all sides of a issue. That can’t happen without valuable contributions from our readers.

By Chris Lionetti

You may have noticed green construction in Stamford (RBS headquarters, UBS, Metro Green) and the Wall Street Revitalization project in South Norwalk. Even Darien’s future Library will use two geothermal wells to heat and cool the building! These buildings are efficiently designed to use less energy and less water. Reduced operating costs mean more profitable buildings, which developers and banks understand and appreciate.

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GOP leaders are scratching their heads after Tuesday’s Democratic sweep in Darien.

Town and state Republican leaders believe Darien, one of the most Republican towns in the state, is still aligned with the GOP, even if last week’s municipal elections suggest otherwise.History was made Tuesday night in a town where registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats 3-to-1. Darien voters elected incumbent Democratic First Selectwoman Evonne Klein by a landslide to a third term and gave Democrats their first-ever majority on the Board of Selectman, choosing Callie Sullivan and David Bayne.

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Or shall I say in the latest buzz way, there was a business invasion. Who knew that 4am, employees, who are not allowed to talk to the press, were working at the store. And what kind of corporate policy would decree that a store manager could not speak to the press about a robbery? Great job corporate HQ, your opportunity to get the details out to keep the public informed won’t exactly help you solve the crime.

From The Hour:

The robbers, dressed in black and wearing black ski masks, confronted the employees at about 4 a.m. and took them into the office where they forced them to open the office safe, the Darien Police Department reported.

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Whole Foods, who really should be opening a store in Norwalk, is once again trying to get Darien to approve the old Howard Johnsons site for a store. Talk about trucks in downtown Darien.

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Chris Perone reports that tonight he and Bob Duff will be hosting a forum on the flooding issues and the progress he’s made on house bill no. 6856, “An Act Enabling Municipalities To Create A Stormwater Authority.” The bill was approved overwhelmingly by the Environmental Committee this morning and will now go to the full house for debate and a vote.

The bill accomplishes two things, 1) it would allow local municipalities to create a “Stormwater Authority” who’s main purpose would be to repair, maintain and improve storm drain systems by creating the financial means to raise and allocate funds specifically for that purpose. 2) It would also give them the right to apply to the state Department of Public Works for clean water funds.

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The Hour reports that the subject of flooding came up at a District D neighborhood meeting hosted by Common Council members, Doug Hempstead-R and Kelly Straniti-R. The Silvermine area, is not unfamiliar to flooding issues. All these stories about flooding the other night reminded me that the great flood of 1955 affected many towns. And so, similarly, I wondered about what, if any, were the flood issues facing our neighboring towns.

Fairfield

In a 40-1 vote Monday night, the Representative Town Meeting passed a special appropriation of $640,000 for an immediate flood control and prevention plan for several areas throughout town.

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From the Federalist:

On the Republican side, two names come to mind: Peter Hovell and Flora Smith. The former head of the BOF, Mr. Hovell would certainly be the the choice between the two if it came to experience. This would also give the town a clear choice in November between First Selectwoman Klein’s style of leadership and Hovell’s (assuming Klein runs). Ms. Smith, however, clearly has the energy to run a campaign. She was an active supporter of the Young ticket in ‘05, and could decide that now is her time. Interestingly, someone told me that Ms. Smith formed an exploratory committee to look at a possible ‘07 run. thefederalist doubts this to be true, as it seems a little overboard…unless you are running for president.

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The Darien library created a blog for community participation. In operation since October 2005, the posts track the issues and events that are of interest to Darien residents. The town meetings are also broadcast on tv, making Darien one of the more open government towns. But when it comes to actual Darien political commentary, you have to check out The Federalist, a blogger who periodically posts on the local political scene. Check out this testy exchange following speculation on who will run for First Selectmen in Darien, in addition to much praise for current First Selectman Evonne Klein. Some highlights:

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