Dayton Art Institute opens newly renovated outdoor garden space

Organizers said the transformation of the space began in the fall of 2023 by laying down paver stones to create two patio areas and building a stone knee wall, which, in addition to highlighting the garden space, offers extra seating in the area, which was finalized this spring. Additions to the area include perennials, outdoor tables, and trees and shrubs planted by Siebenthaler’s.

The paver stones selected for the project match the stones used in the museum’s Hale Cloister. In addition to the artworks by Velsey, the garden space features three stone tesserae statues by artist Ned Smyth. The renovation was conceptualized when the DAI education team expressed the need for an outdoor space for students touring the museum or attending Summer Art Camps to eat lunch during the warmer months of the year.

“The Velsey Garden Project has been desired for over a decade,” said DAI Director & President Michael R. Roediger, in a news release. “Our goal was to offer a beautiful and engaging outdoor space for all guests, students and staff to enjoy, and we are so excited to see that dream come to fruition thanks to the support of Shary and Matt Price. Shary and Matt are lifelong friends of the DAI and philanthropic donors to the Dayton community. We are grateful for their generosity and enthusiasm for the project.”

Shary and Matt Price are Dayton natives with a long history of philanthropy and support for the DAI. They notably funded the Sharon & Matthew Price Gallery of Early 20th Century American Modernism as part of the DAI Centennial Celebration. Shary, who took her first art class at the DAI, was a former Four Seasons Garden Club member.

“The DAI is a cultural anchor in Dayton, and what better organization to partner with for their goal of constant improvement,” Shary said in a press statement. “Plus, I love gardens, so when the ‘seed’ was planted to help with the Velsey Garden Project, it totally ‘grew’ on me.”

The Velsey Garden Project is part of an ongoing list of improvements for the DAI grounds. Organizers encourage museum guests to enjoy complimentary use of the Velsey Garden anytime they visit.

For more information, visit daytonartinstitute.org or call 937-223-4278. The Dayton Art Insitute is located at 456 Belmonte Park N.