“Initially we were looking at ways to add more vibrancy to the downtown streetscapes. We had some success at doing murals and wanted to look at doing other things,” said Laura Woeste, the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s Director of Strategic Projects.
DDP, alongside its partners, would issue an open call for artists to submit their work. The vision was simple: create vinyl wraps of selected pieces that would spruce up the Gem city’s urban spaces.
“As an organization we look at what other cities are doing and we noticed some of our counterparts had these colorful utility boxes so explored what it would take to bring the idea to Dayton,” Woeste told the Dayton Daily News. “The first round we did was actually a couple years ago and it was so successful we were able to build upon it and do more each year.”
Since the first wraps were completed in 2022, more 30 utility boxes have been wrapped. Part of the project’s appeal is the massive variety of artists and styles selected. Such an open approach to theme and medium was part of the DDP’s efforts to allow artists to express themselves.
“We kind of let people do what spoke to them and thought would be great to have out in the downtown area,” Woeste said. “The wide variety of artists participating in the program has been really exciting. They are all different ages and come from different parts of the city.”
Brent Beck’s “Everyone Dance” is just one example of the variety DDP sought. Positioned right in front of the historic courthouse, its warm colors add a much-needed dash of flare to one of the city’s more sober monuments.
“I just wanted to create something that was lighthearted and fun and colorful and just made people feel good when they looked at it,” Beck said. “The time we live in that sort of feeling I think is what everyone kind of wants. I wanted it to be very inclusive and for everyone o see something in it that they liked.”
A professor at the University of Dayton, Beck was one of 15 artists chosen during DDP’s first phase of the program. The lifelong artist described his submission as a combination of hand-drawn illustration merged with digital techniques.
“I didn’t know what the lifespan would be but I hope it stays there for months more, years more, however long it can. It’s just nice to have a little landmark I can say I had something to do with,” Beck shared.
Standing out on the corner of East Third Street, “Truffles” by Amanda Darrah serves as both landmark and tribute. The artist’s late beagle is immortalized and continues to bring joy long after its passing.
Credit: Amanda Darrah
Credit: Amanda Darrah
“It’s a nice little memorial to Truffles,” Darrah said. “I brought him out to it and set him in front of it and took pictures with him.”
The work was her first attempt to create representative art in mosaic. Being new to the medium brought with it a number of challenges. However, that it was chosen during DDP’s second round of ArtWrap installations speaks to its overall quality.
“The usage of the tools had a certain learning curve and there were Band-Aids involved. But I enjoyed it,” she said.
Credit: Amanda Darrah
Credit: Amanda Darrah
Of note among the longlist of all-stars participating in ArtWraps is Erin Smith-Glenn. The art professor, innovator and entrepreneur is one of only three artists chosen in both of DPP’s round of submissions.
“I put a lot of emotion into my work and people feel that,” Smith-Glenn said. “I found out about ArtWraps through Facebook. The thing about the program that I love is that the application process is free which allows them to get a surplus of applications. My first one was that awarded to me is a portrait of my daughter.”
One of her accepted works, “Golden Time of Day,” was designed to be uplifting. The important work is Smith-Glenn’s first conscious mental health piece. It would become the vanguard in a series of which the artist is especially proud.
“When people see it they almost automatically get the connection and so I figured that would be a nice piece to have out there so that people walking by can experience it if they’re having a bad day or need a reminder to keep their head up,” Smith-Glenn said.
Credit: Erin Smith-Glenn
Credit: Erin Smith-Glenn
Recently, eight more ArtWraps have been installed. This time, in partnership with Dayton Public Schools students from Meadowdale Highschool were chosen to take part. DDP is confident there is much more to come.
“I think it really adds to the visitor experience but also for those of us who work or live downtown it makes the environment a lot more welcoming. I hope we can continue to do more and other ways to do things with public art,” Woeste said.
MORE ONLINE
Visit downtowndayton.org/artwraps.
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