DAYTON ART MUSEUM AND INSTITUTE

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL I WENT TO THE DAYTON ART INSTITUTE TO HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE SUMMER SCULPTURE COURSES THAT WERE OFFERED TO UNIVERSITY TEACHERS. I REMEMBER MAKING POTTERY AND SCULPTURES FROM CLAY WITH TEXTURES. OTHERS WERE WELDING STEEL AND METALS AND MAKING DIFFERENT LOST WAX SCULPTURES. I LEARNED HOW TO MAKE WAX SCULPTURES TO CAST IN BRONZE. THIS WAS AN ENTIRELY NEW TECHNIQUE FOR MR TO LEARN TO ME. WE WORKED DOWNSTAIRS AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW ROOMS. WE COULD DECIDE WHICH KIND OF CLASS WE WANTED TO START IN. I ENJOYED CERAMICS AND I MADE SEVERAL TEXTURED POTS AND A WALL HANGING OF VARIOUS PEOPLE. IT WAS STOLEN DURING OUR SHOWING. I LEARNED ABOUT CASTING METAL SCULPTURES AND MANY OTHER KIDS WERE BETTER AT MAKING SOME POTTERY. I HAD TRIED TO THROW POTS ON A WHEEL, HOWEVER, I HAVE NOT ACHIEVED IN THIS. SOME FOLKS WERE VERY GOOD AT THIS.

THE MUSEUM HAS A NICE ROSE GARDEN AND IS 91 YEARS OLD. THERE ARE MANY FOUNDING PATRONS, INCLUDING ORVILLE WRIGHT AND PATTERSON BROTHERS. THE BUILDING WAS MODELED AFTER THE VILLA D ESTE IN ROME, SIMILAR TO THE 16TH CENTURY ITALIAN ARCHITECT. IT IS ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. IT HAS 26,000 OBJECTS OF ART HISTORY